Theatre / Reviews
Review: Lulu, Tobacco Factory Theatres – ‘A devastating collage of misogyny, lust and violence’
In the premiere production of Angela Carter’s adaptation of Frank Wedekind’s notorious Lulu, Bristol School of Acting presents this enduring tale of lust, misogyny and class.
When the lights go down to reveal a row of women, dressed magnificently and posed like dolls, their mechanical movement affords us immediately a deep and lingering disquiet. There is a horror in the beauty of the frozen, immaculate and impossible smiles seemingly stitched onto the faces of our various Lulus.
Lulu chronicles the life of its titular protagonist who, born into poverty, begins life selling flowers on the street. It is then that she is essentially stolen away by the newspaper proprietor Schoen (Samuel Hunter-Nicholls), ‘provided’ with an education, and made – with unclear consent – into Schoen’s lover. Wishing further to utilise this ‘opportunity’, Schoen marries Lulu off to the wealthy Dr. Goll (Jamie Whitlaw).
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In this early section of the plot, Lulu is played predominantly by Madeleine Chambers. Chambers is the perfect casting for these scenes. Her Lulu is a tragic but quietly ferocious force; defying her revolting husband to begin an affair with the painter Schwartz (Fin Latcham). Latcham plays the craven artist brilliantly, and Whitlaw (a recent finalist in the 2026 Spotlight Prize) brings to Dr. Goll a brilliantly unsettling lack of humanity.
Schoen is a constant throughout Lulu’s life, and is instrumental in the eventual success of her new husband, Schwartz. Hunter-Nicholls is superb, embodying exactly the horrible cowardice that sits inevitably beneath paranoid misogyny.
Equally instrumental in the coercion of Lulu is Schoen’s son Alva, played by Daniel Martindale, who brings sophistication to a complicated role. Alva knew Lulu when they both were young, and his relationship with her contains more innocence than perhaps any other relationship she has. However, ultimately, Alva becomes another person to objectify and neglect Lulu.
Following the second sudden death of a husband, Lulu becomes a dancer in a revue, and it is Alva who manages the proceedings. In this manner, we see Lulu as a sort of vacuum for male exploitation. She is violated and extracted-from physically, emotionally, economically and spiritually. Her very personhood is considered taboo, and her abuse is more or less uniform.
When the occasional and sotto voce shows of support do occur, they are inevitably made in order to win favour with Lulu for ulterior benefit. Perhaps the only moment of true empowerment given to Lulu is backstage, when Melisa Hawa Mensah rejects the advances of the chinless Earl of Harrowby (Kian Pollard).
Much of the play reflects a violent and unarticulated desire, but this scene, in which Lulu is essentially a Dominant, demonstrates a more considered and healthy display of kink. Mensah’s entrance is a highlight of the play, and her Lulu is a force of nature. Pollard’s exceptional performance in multiple roles perhaps peaks with the image of him licking Lulu’s shoes.
The most striking image of the night is Lulu, when played by Solena Rodriguez, wearing a cage crinoline underskirt and dancing slowly to leering men silhouetted against a translucent red curtain. Here, Lulu herself is less a character and more a composite of womanhood in the context of male desire. This play is about seeing Lulu from various distances.
By the end Lulu exists in close proximity to the world, and is consequently subjected to extreme violence. Rodriguez’s Lulu is the most alluring, most distal Lulu. Existing more in dream-like fantasy than in other iterations, Rodriguez intelligently and intuitively captures the inhuman perfection projected onto figures of imagination.
Eleanor Butler’s Lulu is a distressed and tragic figure, played hauntingly by Butler, whose expensive dress belies the isolation and sadness of her character. By contrast, in Clementine Macfarlane, we see Lulu have moments of playfulness and empowerment. Both actors are fantastic.
The penultimate chapter of Lulu’s life shows her in luxury, played by Salomé Haertel, engaging in a string of affairs whilst married to Schoen. Haertel is, as usual, unbelievably impressive. When Schoen produces a gun, Lulu sucks on the barrel. We see in this moment that Lulu has fully realised and leveraged her sexual power, and Haertel manages this exchange with great quality.
Within the fundamentally heartbreaking and grotesque context of this play, excellent comedic relief is brought by a preposterous gaggle of French house staff. Kirbie-Leigh Dean is a particular highlight here. Yzabelle Walker is likewise a delight as both Madeline and Henriette, and is responsible for one of the play’s most shocking moments – alongside her daughter Kadega (Tianna Lindo).
Edan George’s wonderfully severe Casti Piani and Kate Goodman’s hilarious Countess Geschwitz are vital supporting roles, and Collette Marie’s performance as both Hugenbach and Bianette is a joy to watch.
The play closes with Lulu, now Talia-Jade Jones, working the streets of London as an escort, surrounded by grotesque pimps Mrs Schigolch (Ellé Marie), Mr Schigolch (Fletcher Graham) and Rodrigo (Tom Eros). All three of these actors offer a wonderful and unnerving performance, illuminating the wretched conditions to which Lulu is subjected.
This stylish and troubling adaptation is a challenging and provocative watch. Bristol School of Acting has produced a devastating collage of misogyny, lust and violence.
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Lulu is at Tobacco Factory Theatres on July 9-11 at 7.30pm, with an additional 2.30pm matinee show on Saturday. Tickets are available at tobaccofactorytheatres.com.
All photos: Craig Fuller
Read next:
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- Review: A Fairy Story (Animal Farm), Tobacco Factory Theatres – ‘Exceptional acting lights up this techno remix of the Orwellian fable’
- Review: double bill: Britz/Codetta – ‘Bristol School of Acting is continually producing superb shows’
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