MIDSUMMER night's celebrations are in full swing in Sweden in 1894, but the Count's daughter, the imperious Miss Julie, feels trapped and alone.

Downstairs in the servants' kitchen, rebellious footman Jean is feeling restless. When they meet, a passion is ignited and for a few hours through the long twilight they play an increasingly dangerous game of “what if?”.

The conflict between sexual passion and social position is presented in Miss Julie with startling modernity. The play's premiere at Strindberg's experimental theatre in Denmark in 1889 was banned by the censor and its first public production three years later in Berlin aroused such protests that it was withdrawn after one performance.

Miss Julie has since become one of August Strindberg's most popular and frequently performed plays.

This new version by highly-acclaimed playwright David Eldridge is contemporary but faithful.

This production is the RAODS debut for both leads - Laura Messenger, as Julie, and Alec Sleigh, as Jean (pictured).

Miss Julie is at the Plaza Theatre's Green Room from Tuesday to Saturday.

Tickets from plazatheatre.com or 01794 512987.