Review: Girl From The North Country at the Old Vic
⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Four Stars)
Girl From The North Country returns to the Old Vic, the venue where it made its world premiere in 2017 prior to West End and Broadway runs, and remains a strikingly original entry in the jukebox musical genre. Written and directed by Conor McPherson, and featuring the music of Bob Dylan, this production resists the usual tropes of the format. Rather than forcing songs into the narrative or using them to advance the plot, Dylan’s music is used to great effect to build atmosphere and express emotion.
Set in Minnesota in the bitter winter of 1934 during the Great Depression era, the story takes place in a run-down guesthouse run by Nick Laine (Colin Connor), who is struggling to keep his family and finances afloat. His wife Elizabeth (Katie Brayben), suffering from a form of dementia, drifts in and out of lucidity, with Brayben delivering a deeply affecting and unpredictable performance. Chris McHallem’s Dr Walker serves as the narrator, introducing us to the various guests who come and go, each with their own burdens and struggles.
The tone is unflinchingly bleak, with moments of levity few and far between. But what Girl From The North Country lacks in lightness, it makes up for in emotional depth and artistry. The ensemble cast perform Dylan’s songs beautifully, with standout contributions from both singers and onstage musicians. Thanks to Simon Hale’s orchestration and arrangements and Alan Berry’s musical direction, the songs feel fully embedded in the world of the play and, at times, it’s easy to forget they weren’t written specifically for this production.
Rae Smith’s set and costume design is evocative and authentically rooted in the period, and Mark Henderson’s lighting, often casting the ensemble in silhouette, aids in the visual storytelling beautifully.
While its slower pace and sombre mood won’t be to everyone’s taste, Girl From The North Country is a powerfully realised and unconventional piece of musical theatre.
Girl From The North Country is running at the Old Vic until 23rd August 2025.
Photos by Manuel Harlan