James Norton will soon star in the upcoming theatrical rendition of the immensely popular novel A Little Life. The actor explains why he needed an intimacy coordinator during rehearsals for the “disturbing” part and how, as a diabetic, he will cope with spending nearly four hours on stage.
The 37-year-old Happy Valley actor portrays the troubled attorney Jude in A Little Life, the stage adaptation of Hanya Yanagihara’s 2015 Booker Prize-nominated bestseller.
Those who have read the novel will not be surprised to see that ticketing websites warn of suicide, drugs, nudity, self-harm, rape, and violence on stage.
“There are no holds barred in this project; we must go to some unsettling locations,” Norton tells BBC News.
He told the BBC that the producers had put in place “wonderful precautions” to protect and support the cast, including a psychotherapist and “excellent intimacy coordinators.”
James Norton, whose severely troubled character will be seen on stage self-harming and being sexually molested, says,
“I do feel extremely supported.”
In the aftermath of #MeToo and Time Up, the use of intimacy coordinators, who ensure that sex scenes are done responsibly and authentically, has become more widespread.
“Many people have many perspectives about intimacy coaches, and because it’s a relatively young profession, I believe people are still determining its bounds,” Norton adds.
“Some individuals will argue, “I don’t need them,” but if the intimacy coordinator protects one actor from enduring a life-altering experience, then the other 99 people who don’t need it are justified. Certainly, I needed help with this.”
Norton’s remarks follow Sean Bean’s assertion that intimacy coordinators “ruin the spontaneity” of sex scenes.
Bean told the Times in August 2012 that he had doubts about the new method of employment. The 63-year-old Game of Thrones actor stated,
“I believe the natural way in which lovers behave would be damaged if it were reduced to a technical exercise.”
A Little Life will perform for 12 weeks at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London beginning March 25. It is already out of stock.
But, due to the record demand for tickets, the BBC can confirm that the show will perform for an additional five weeks at the Savoy Theatre beginning July 4.
The West End premiere will be the first time the musical has been performed in English; director Ivo van Hove has previously only presented it in Dutch with subtitles. And reactions have varied.
The Telegraph’s Dzifa Benson authored the following:
“This heartbreaking drama is extremely arduous. Nonetheless, this does not diminish how captivating and heartbreaking it is.”
The Guardian’s Sian Cain found much to “admire” in a recent performance in Adelaide but added:
“Why were we all here, I pondered, as Jude slashed his wrists for the second, third, or fourth time?”
Everyone who has read the novel, which has sold more than 2.5 million copies, will know what they are getting themselves into, according to Norton.
“Hanya wanted to write a novel that was relentlessly and shamelessly gloomy,” he explains.
He expresses “concern” on the “attritional deterioration of my physique.”
“The fact that I must fall, struggle, and be defeated at the age of 37 causes me concern. I have no idea how I’ll fare “He comes clean. I assume there will be a price to pay, bodily and emotional exhaustion.
Nevertheless, as a Type 1 diabetic who must inject insulin and manage his blood sugar levels, he faces an additional obstacle. The duration of the play is 3 hours and 40 minutes, and James Norton is onstage throughout. So, he must plan ahead.
“I shall have sugar tablets available in locations where I may need them, though I hope I won’t need them. One is in the wheelchair and the other is in the kitchen.”
2014 saw Norton’s breakthrough performance in the first season of the BBC drama Happy Valley. In addition to Grantchester, he has appeared in McMafia, War & Peace, and The Trial of Christine Keeler.
Nonetheless, he was nominated for a Bafta for his role as a serial killer and rapist Tommy Lee Royce in Sally Wainwright’s thriller.
“That altered my life,” Norton says now of Happy Valley, “and it certainly aided my path to this job.”
So what then? After Happy Valley and A Little Life, he must desire a lighter role.
“But not because the roles or sets in Happy Valley or A Little Life are particularly gloomy or devoid of pleasure. Occasionally, the heavier the subject matter, the more warmth, joy, and mutual support there are to counteract it.
I would do a comedy because it’s a genre I haven’t explored much, and I’m eager to flex that muscle.
He believes that the continuous “bizarre and bewildering” rumors that he is one of the frontrunners to replace Daniel Craig as the next James Bond are false.
Norton claims he has not tried out for the part. “Barbara Broccoli, [Bond producer], has stated categorically that they are not approaching anyone and will not do so for several years.
What a difficult and exciting chance it is to reimagine the franchise! I don’t envy the person who has to make this decision on the character’s reinvention.
He admits that it is “very nice” to be included in the discourse. Who wouldn’t want to be James Bond, after all? “Yes, it’s true,” he chuckles.
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