Sewell Barn Theatre finds beauty and tension in their reimagining of Lorca’s classic

This latest production of The House of Bernarda Alba explores all the major themes of Lorca’s original play with nuance and charm, whilst using modern technological elements to underscore the drama, achieving a version that is all too poignant in today’s day and age.

The House of Bernarda Alba, with it’s all-female cast and tense contextual setting, provides fertile ground for exploration in our current political climate. This production stayed true to the original text, and the set design in particular was outstanding in its successful portrayal of rural, twentieth-century, pre-war Spain. This was only complimented by the costumes, a shoal of black, lace and rosary beads that provided an effective and intentional contrast to the famous green dress, worn by Adela (Emma Smith) who was incredible in her portrayal of a young woman desperate for life. The push and pull between tradition and liberty was apparent, and a commitment to Lorca’s original setting is arguably necessary to highlight these societal tensions.

However, Sewell Barn Theatre has also done exceptionally well to incorporate bold technical choices that brought the play into a new and interesting realm. The centrepiece acted as a canvas for disturbing projections and the theatre-space was transformed into a place of conflict that assaulted all the senses. The text is fraught with gender dynamics, and our modern audience is aware also of the proximity of Lorca to the Spanish Civil War and his ultimate fate, as well as the current resurgence of debates around female autonomy and pregnancy. Thus, this choice was particularly pertinent and a subtle yet effective way to underscore the play with the true message; that our society has progressed little further than this small, rural Spanish family, and that debates about liberty, autonomy and gender equality unfortunately still prevail.