This production of A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen is a missed opportunity. CandyKing Theatre present a world premiere of a new translation by Ida Forde. With it they could have pushed the boundaries by putting the play in a new setting in order to bring a different perspective to a piece which is often performed. However they opt for a traditional approach which, although well performed, does not challenge the audience as it could. A controversial piece when it was first produced, A Doll’s House centres around Nora, the prized possession and wife of Torvold. Nora commits fraud in order to help her husband recover from illness but her crime is uncovered by Krogstad, a future employee of her husband, and he blackmails her in order to reclaim his position in society. The conclusion of the play brings about a complete change in behaviour and attitudes as it is Nora who grabs hold of her destiny, leaving Torvold behind in his house without his doll.
Kate Dion-Richard is ideally cast as Nora, displaying perfectly the self-obsessed, spoilt ‘doll’ and the strong-willed, empowered woman she becomes. Brett Harris is too young to play Torvold, making his physicality feel forced. This is not to say that Harris is not a talented actor: he is particularly strong in Torvald’s distressed state in Act Two. Dr Rank is an imposing, sinister character who ends up a sad, lonely old man, portrayed effectively in a poignant performance by Jose Domingos. The other actors provide strong support, with particular mention due to Ross Finbow as the blackmailing Norgstad.
The set by Philip John and music by Dylan Freed add effectively to the overall atmosphere of the play. As an audience member you feel as if you are sitting right in the midst of the action. At times Marialuisa Chiorando’s direction gets in the way of the action: characters stand with their backs to the audience, thereby blocking our view of the character they are talking to. However, this is a minor quibble.
The strength of Ibsen’s writing and this new translation could have allowed CandyKing Theatre to breathe new life into this play by bringing the story up-to-date. After all, we still live in age where women (and men) are oppressed and money troubles are at the forefront of people’s minds. However, they fail to do so, keeping it lodged firmly in the past, which is a shame given the obvious talent of this young, vibrant company.
- Andrew Roach
