James Norton has been starring in a "career-defining" performance in the West End play A Little Life - and the first trailer for the cinema release is here. The cinema release will showcase a filmed version of the show at the Savoy theatre - and it looks seriously intense.
In the show, the Happy Valley star plays a man named Jude St Francis, who struggles with the terrible trauma of his childhood while trying to move on, forming a close friendship with three university friends, Willem, JB and Malcolm, who are played by Bridgerton star Luke Thompson, It’s a Sin's Omari Douglas, and Karen Pirie actor Zach Wyatt. Watch the dramatic trailer here…
The show was recorded across four performances, and fans have opened up about how much they are looking forward to the show, which is being released in cinema on 28 September.
One person wrote: "My favourite book which became the best thing I’ve ever seen in a theatre. Harrowing but wondrous in equal measure. A beautiful performance. I was lucky enough to attend one of the recorded performances for this film. Looking forward to seeing how it translates to the screen."
Another person added: "The most emotional, heart-wrenching, beautiful piece of theatre I’ve seen, can’t wait to put myself through it again at the cinema now, tissues inbound."
However, other people who have previously read the book were unsure, with one writing: "I think my brain has profoundly imagined the worst of this book so I am in no need of a visual reinterpretation of the tragedies.
"I will gauge my eyes out and cry too much. And I assure you, my imagination is 10x worse."
© Jan VersweyveldJames, who is perhaps best known for his role as Tommy Lee Royce in Happy Valley and is currently rumoured to be one of the top picks for the new James Bond, previously opened up about the disturbing role, telling the Independent: "It’s probably one of the most terrifying things I’ve ever done in my life.
"I woke up and had moments like, ‘What am I doing voluntarily going into this place, this darkness?’
"Hanya wanted to write a book about a protagonist who ultimately was not on the path to salvation, and there is no light at the end, and it was the antithesis to the American dream. And you do question that. ‘Why would I put myself through this? Multiple times? For three months?’ But it being this scary and terrifying prospect is the reason why you have to do it."
© LIAM DANIEL/NETFLIXHe added: "Everyone says this book is so dark, but it’s not,” he said.
“It’s about heroic acts of friendship, and people gathering around someone who’s in need and desperately trying to help him to love himself. I hope my experience of doing this play will help me have a bit more self-love, too."
