A Dolls House - my first independent theatre trip!

I think perhaps my expectations of A Dolls House were beyond how good any show could be. Saying that I did enjoy the show, there were just a few niggles and to be honest few of these were the fault of the production itself.  The audience were just very fidgety, it’s a fairly long show but not ridiculous, and there was a particularly fidgety school group sitting behind me, 14 year old boys find the strangest things hilarious. Also, I was towards the back of the stalls, and throughout the show there were the occasional bumps and audible talking taking place behind the doors by what I presume was staff which in any theatre I think is pretty unforgiveable. 

My only criticism of the show itself, and something which I think did affect the impact of the show on me, was that the use of the sound, like a distant rumble, which occurred whenever a cast member said something significant and I felt was incredibly similar to the same effect in Sweet Bird of Youth at The Old Vic this summer, which was a shame 

Regardless of those minor points A Dolls House is a fantastic production, as the reviews and it’s run at the Duke of York's Theatre prove!  The story, of which I was completely new to, is a mix of heart-breaking, angering and unfair.  If I wasn’t a complete feminist on entering the theatre, I am now.  Some of the phrases used by Torvald and the horror expressed at these by some outgoing audience members made me think about how we think we’ve come so far when in fact I’m not sure we have.  I know some peoples wedding vows still state “to serve my husband”, not far from the script of this play which caused horror in the theatre.  I’m not alone in this, the programme notes include an interview with Carrie Cracknell, the Director of this production. She states that many women now think feminism has no need, we’ve come so far in such recent history, yet she also states, “The idea of the woman as a person who is perceived through how she looks, whose power is related to how she looks, is more prevalent than it’s ever been – and that’s at the heart of Ibsen’s play and Nora’s entrapment”.  Nora is repeatedly referred to by her husband as his “sparrow”, “dove” and other birds which is initially amusing, until it becomes patronising and degrading.  I felt like shouting “YESS” when Nora finally realises how her husband has treated her, as though she is merely an object. It is by no means a happy ending, and apart from the applause there is no other sign that this can be the end of Nora’s story, but I feel that at least she stands up for herself in some respects, while also being incredibly cruel abandoning her children and facing what little prospects a single woman would have had in that period. I have to admit I had to keep on consciously relaxing my face, I could feel myself frowning at the stage every time her husband made some degrading little comment, which happened frequently.

(c) Johan Persson

 Getting that rant out of the way, Nora herself is a somewhat irritating character. Constantly flitting around incredibly selfish at the opening when her old friend Kristine returns, obviously needing to talk, yet Nora talks at length of her husbands new job and all the money she will have.  Hattie Morahan is brilliant in this lead role, never switching off, always twitching and having an almost ghostly appearance at points. She is deserving of the awards and acclaim she has recieved, and she must be drained playing Nora with such fervour every night, twice a day must be utterly exhausting. Hattie is such a brilliant actress that she almost overshadows the rest of the cast, particularly the male characters and I’m not just saying this as my feminist hat is on. I know she has received some critism for "over-acting" but who wouldn't be after nine years of marriage to a man who treats you as Torvald treats Nora. One of the most powerful moments was just before the interval, Nora is practising her dance for her husband and as the music from the scene fades away into a haunting orchestration we see her dance turn into a puppet-esque fit like movement, like the doll or puppet she is. 

The set was also fantastic, as if it was a wooden dolls house with four rooms like most young girls have played with, the set would spin as cast moved around to each room, following them around the house which I particularly loved. 

This was my first trip to the theatre on my own! A venture I entered with some trepidation, but the show was great and I enjoyed being able to absorb myself in the plot (as much as possible with the noisy kids behind me) and thanks to social media I still had a good old natter about the show after.

This trailer gives a good insight into the production!