The Master Builder

Synopsis

Master Builder Solness, is locked in a loveless marriage and is terrified that the young rising generation will come knocking at the door. When the beautiful and mysterious Hilde Wangel comes to 'claim her kingdom' love and catastrophe loom.

Our Review:

19 June 2003

London's impromptu Ibsen festival that began with Ingmar Bergman's production of Ghosts (in Swedish as part of BITE:03) and continued with Natasha Richardson and Ralph Fiennes in The Lady From the Sea and Brand respectively, now continues with a new production of The Master Builder.

And I'm tempted to cry out 'Beam me up, Scotty', not just because the title role is being taken by Patrick Stewart (the former long-standing RSC actor who went on to a more financially productive career captaining the Star Ship Enterprise in Star Trek) but also so I can escape the Norwegian doom-monger.

His are painstakingly depressing tales of lofty aspirations (literally so in this case of the story of a builder, Halvard Solness, who used to be responsible for the highest church towers in the world) and the very human failures to meet them. "The seductiveness of the impossible - how it calls to you", say...

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Latest User Review

USER: Whatsonstage.com (82.66.103.162) - 13 September 2003:

I have seen the play in mid-july. I am french but speak english quite well. I have read the play before coming. I was disapointed to see the feeling of Ibsen not showed as a atmosphering play... I was at the 16th row and actors were not speaking loudly. Too bad !!!...

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