Inside The House | The House of Bernarda Alba | National Theatre

'A lot of people think it's a play about Bernarda Alba, but it isn't.'
The creative minds behind The House of Bernarda Alba explore the significance of Merle Hensel’s set and all it represents.
The House of Bernarda Alba is playing in the Lyttelton Theatre until 6 January.
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[@musicalesrandom2289]

I hope this production is released for National Theater Live for all of us who are far from being able to see it live. Remarkable setting.

[@SharlzG]

Oh the staging is fantastic. I'd love to be able to see this live..

[@TheSaram90]

This was fantastic. Harriet Walker was phenomenal, and the set was indeed extremely captivating

[@kbowman968]

I love this play.

[@renata_of_the_craft]

Which play is it you love? The Garcia Lorca or this completely different, reimagined version by someone else written for 'our' times?

[@nexussever]

The see-through walls reminded me of Jo Mielziner's set design for the original production of Arthur Millers "Death of a Salesman." I really wish that I could attend a performance of "Inside the House."

[@bluebellbeatnik4945]

It's called 'The House of Bernarda Alba'

[@nexussever]

@@bluebellbeatnik4945 Yes, but I said that the set reminded me of the set of a very famous play.

[@njorogemuiruri2288]

Quite incredible while watching this live

[@georgegasmatron1]

I hope I have a chance to see this.

[@PabloBalcazar]

It is worth mentioning that this play was actually written by Federico García Lorca. I guess Alice Birch has written the English adaptation for this specific production at the national theatre but I feel they should've given more credit to the actual writer of this work within this promo clip.

[@renata_of_the_craft]

No, this is not the work by Lorca, but a new play written on the back of the Lorca play. Why does English theatre do this? No-one would dare to rewrite Shakespeare to that extent and put it on the stage of the National Theatre!

[@DHU11]

i had tickets for this but i had to bail because i came down with covid the day before the showing. :/ will it be on nt@home at some point in the near future?

[@suegriffiths3563]

Although I enjoyed this play, via NT at Home, and yes, Harriet was amazing, what a shame the only adjective/exclamation the translator/adapter could think of was f**k. I doubt if the original was as limited in its choice of words.

[@Weesperbuurt]

The production closes on January 6th! Has it been filmed?

[@summerbaee]

It was filmed on December 13th but there was a show stop early on in Act 2 and an actor had to be replaced (not exactly sure who, sorry) so I could only assume that they’ll re-film Act 2 at some point if they haven’t already.

[@bluebellbeatnik4945]

Really UNFAIR that this is SO EXPENSIVE and people with less money cannot go to see it. It's also a bit cr4p that there isn't long to go either. Please extend and do what the royal court does - have cheap seats available on Mondays. Theatre is basically full of rich or comfortable middle class people and theatre students. You really need to try to reach out to the regular folks. Consider a TV commercial once in a while, you know... or broadening try your platform so you're not just getting the attention of people who would already look you up anyway.

[@DHU11]

they had seats for as little as £20. you just weren't fast enough to get them.

[@iris695]

Later this month you can rent the pro shot of it on NT at Home. While I obviously agree that live theatre should be made more affordable, the NT *is* making some of their shows more accessible

[@renata_of_the_craft]

There is already a very good and famous play called 'La Casa di Bernarda Alba', it is a play by the famous Frederico Garcia Lorca. It is available in the English language in at least one good translation. It neither needs reimagining, brought up for a modern audience or anything else! I refuse this trend where every play older than 5-10 years needs rewriting to fit a modern audience. Have these writers write new work, if needs be, but classic plays that told us of people and their lives, should be celebrated and shown as they were written! Else, go and recreate Shakespeare's plays for modern audiences, modern understanding, modern sensibilities!!!!! Or does it only apply to 'forrin' theatre, the holy English language mustn't be touched???? Why the hell is there a gun center stage? Has anyone actually understood the original play at all????

[@DHU11]

look lady, some of us enjoy these bastardised contemporary versions, ok? they are not all bad!

[@DHU11]

ALSO lot's of shakespeare's work and other english plays have been modernised for contemporary audiences. you are kidding yourself insinuating otherwise.

[@polifoni]

@renata_of_the_craft I do agree 100%

[@renata_of_the_craft]

@@DHU11 bastardised, yes a good word for them. Like going for a M&S ready meal instead of the properly cooked meal.

[@benjamin.cardona]

La Casa de Bernarda Alba (Spanish, not Italian) written by Federico García Lorca is a phenomenal play. I don't see why both the original and this version can't co-exist. It's also important to note that the original playwright is being credited. I've seen at least five versions of this and they were very similar. They idea behind the re-imagining of these classics is to keep them relevant and fresh. It's just a device to help the audience connect to the work. Also, note that not all of these are adapted to a contemporary setting. If they were, that could also spark a curiosity about the original work pointing audiences in that direction. Why do we keep resisting change?