This summer, ‘Girl from the North Country’ returns to London’s The Old Vic for a limited run from the 23rd June to the 23rd August. The jukebox musical by award-winning playwright Conor McPherson intricately weaves Bob Dylan’s legendary song writing into a deeply moving tale of hope, loss, and survival.
First premiering at The Old Vic in 2017, the musical has since toured internationally with performances across the UK, US, and Australia. Its return to the stage where it first captivated audiences promises a poignant homecoming for a show hailed as one of the most affecting musical dramas of the decade.
Set in Lake Superior in Dylan’s hometown of Duluth, Minnesota during the winter of 1934, the story unfolds in a rundown guesthouse during the height of the great depression. Through McPherson’s subtle script and aided by Dylan’s discography, the musical explores a lost and lonely community struggling to survive amidst the harsh economic environment of the Great Depression.
At the heart of the narrative is the Laine family, struggling under the weight of personal and financial adversity. Father Nick Laine faces imminent foreclosure on the family home, while his wife Elizabeth grapples with a degenerative illness and their children wrestle with futures they cannot control. The guesthouse serves as a crossroads for a cast of weary souls- Mrs. Neilson, a widow with dreams of inheritance; the Burke family, burdened by secrets and sorrow; and enigmatic strangers Joe Scott, a washed-up boxer, and Reverend Marlowe, a shady bible salesman. Their stories intertwine with the Laines’, creating a tapestry of human hardship and resilience.
The musical boldly reimagines the iconic music of Bob Dylan, playing 20 of his venerated songs throughout the show including record-breaking hits ‘Like a Rolling Stone’, ‘Ballad of a Thin Man’ and ‘Lay, Lady, Lay’. The songs function as emotional undercurrents to the plot, with the show breathing new life into these familiar classics. Performed live using instruments authentic to the 1930’s era, the music carries a raw and intimate texture. ‘Girl From the North Country’ is a subtle yet powerful reinterpretation that appeals to both Dylan fans and newcomers alike.
Upon its debut, ‘Girl From the North Country’ was met with glowing reviews. The Evening Standard deemed the original performance “beguiling and soulful and quietly, exquisitely heart-breaking”, calling it “a very special piece of theatre”. The musical has since earned multiple Tony and Olivier Awards, cementing its reputation. This is a chance to experience the music of Bob Dylan in a way never heard before: stripped back, recontextualised and deeply human.
Tickets to see ‘Girl From the North Country’ in The Old Vic can be accessed here.
