“A Little Life” is a novel that was released in 2015 by Hawaiian author Hanya Yanagihara. The story has four main characters, including Willem, Malcolm, JB, and Jude. Jude St. Francis is the main focus of the novel, with it detailing his life as he moves from college to adulthood. As a disabled lawyer living in New York, Jude has a lot of issues. The novel deals with childhood trauma, self-harm, suicide, chronic pain, disabilities, and the complexities of male friendships. Needless to say, it is not a feel-good read, but rather one for when you need a good cry. 

The novel was up for, but did not win, the 2015 Booker award. Although it lost there, the book quickly became a bestseller, even winning the 2015 Kirkus Prize in Fiction. It also was on the short list for several other awards, such as the National Book Award for Fiction and the Women’s Prize for Fiction but did not win. With a 4.3-star rating on Good Reads, this novel is one that had a relatively positive reception, with a majority of people enjoying the read. One of those people being singer Dua Lipa who, in an interview, said that the book “changed her life”.  

That being said, it only makes sense that adaptations would eventually be made. A rumor of a movie circulated for a bit soon after its release, but that rumor was quickly de-bunked. However, the long-awaited adaptation is becoming a reality- but not on the big screen. Instead, the award-winning novel will be taking the form of a play on a stage in London! The idea was adapted for stage and directed by Ivo Van Hove, who is known for his experimental and unique theater experiences. 

The stage adaptation will be playing for twelve weeks from Saturday March 25th to Sunday June 18th.  This will be taking place at the Harold Pinter Theater, which like its namesake, mostly focuses on comedy. “A Little Life” could be called the opposite of comedy, so it’s interesting that this is where the show will be shown. The show is said to have a run-time of about three hours and forty minutes- which seems like a very long time. But when you factor in the fact that the book is over seven-hundred pages long, the length of the show can be excused- there is a lot of story the director is trying to ensure that the audience doesn’t miss out on.  

Who will be playing the protagonist? The cast for this play isn’t full of underground actors, but well-known professionals! Playing Jude will be James Norton, best known for his roles in Happy Valley and War & Peace. Zach Wyatt will be playing Malcom. He is best known for his work in Witcher and Blithe Spirit. Taking on the role of Willem is Luke Thompson, who you probably know from his character in Bridgeton. And the person playing JB is Omari Douglas, best known for his role in a tv drama series called It’s a Sin. Although some of these names might sound unfamiliar to the members of our school, all of them are accomplished British actors! 

I asked some Dakota students who have read this novel what they think of the play and cast! Personally, I am very excited to read the reviews once the play comes out! I think that all of the people casted looks exactly as I pictured them (except for Jude). Here are some of the thoughts of other students: 

“I am excited to see how it goes. I wish I could go to London and see it myself though! I’m not super familiar with any of the actors, but I’m sure they’ll do a great job! They don’t look at all like how I pictured them though” Bella Curatolo, 12  

“I am not excited about that! The book is so deep and complicated I feel like it will be impossible to capture the depth of it outside of the written word. The play will probably be entertaining, but people would gain more by just reading the book” Lilyana Treash, 12 

“I’m very excited to hear that a play is in production because ‘A Little Life’ tells such a unique and heartbreaking story that deserves to be heard. It brings awareness to the struggles that people can face while trying to get lucky with a family they feel comfort with. While gut wrenching, the story is equally beautiful and I can’t wait to see it made tangible on the stage” Samanta Popovski, 12  

“I was excited when I first heard about this, but after seeing the actors I’m not so sure. No doubt the story will still be amazing and heartbreaking, but the actors do not look like their descriptions. Especially Jude! I’m not sure why, but that actor just looks much too plain. Not to judge a book by its cover though- I’m sure he’s an amazing actor and will do a great job. It’s just hard to get into something when you feel like you’re staring at a flaw. Other than that, though I’m super curious what the reviews will be. If people go into the play not knowing what it’s about, they’d probably be pretty shocked. I can see that leading to a few negative reviews just because it’s not what’s expected.  Anyhow, to summarize, I’m kind of excited, but not super excited” Quinn Garrison, 12  

So, if you’ll be in London anytime during the period that the show is playing, you should go check it out! And if you’re like me, we can wait together for clips of it to be posted to YouTube! Either way, this play is bound to cause some waves whether it’s good or bad!