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A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen.
Translated by Micheal Meyer
Performed at the Greenwich Playhouse December 2004
Galleon Theatre Company presented between the 7th December
and the 9th January 2005, a sell-out and hugely acclaimed
production of Michael Meyer’s translation of A
Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen.
 Galleon’s revival of A Doll’s House was
set at Christmas and against an apparently idyllic backdrop
of marital bliss and domestic cheer. It showed that marriage
is not sacrosanct, and that the prime duty which an individual
has is to discover who they are and then to become that
person. Although when originally staged in 1879 Ibsen’s
play caused controversy, by the end of that century there
was scarcely a country where it had not been performed.
“My enemies have been a great help to me - their
attacks have been so vicious that people come flocking
to see what all the shouting was about.” - Ibsen
A Doll’s House exploded sensationally onto the
theatrical landscape and caused scandal wherever it was
staged or read. In Germany, Ibsen’s notion of personal
freedom was so unpalatable, that he was forced to write
a different ending to restore masculine supremacy in
the home.
“A woman cannot be herself in modern society. It
is an exclusively male society, with laws made by men and
with prosecutors and judges who assess feminine conduct
from a masculine stand point.” Ibsen
A Doll’s House was first performed in London in
1889. It sounded a death knell on ‘Victorian Values’ and
paved the way for writers such as George Bernard Shaw,
Thomas Hardy and a whole host of ‘New Woman’ novelists.
Ibsen was the most important playwright of his generation
and his plays changed the main current of European literary
thinking and remain to this day popular, relevant and
thought provoking.
 A Doll’s House was staged by the internationally
acclaimed Galleon Theatre Company and the production
was led by director BRUCE JAMIESON and producer ALICE
DE SOUSA. BRUCE JAMIESON has previously directed over
twenty GALLEON productions; acted some sixty stage plays.
His television and film work includes: Roughnecks (BBC);
In Suspicious Circumstances (Granada); Crime Solver (BBC);
Ali G-Inda House (Universal); Monarch of the Glen (Ecosse);
Spongebob (BBC); and Murphy’s Law (Tiger Aspect).
ALICE DE SOUSA has produced over sixty stage plays; played
leading roles in some thirty theatre productions; written
several acclaimed theatre scripts; and was in 2004 awarded
by the American Biographical Institute, the distinction
of ‘Great Women of the 21st Century’ and
nominated for the ‘Woman of the Year Award 2005’.
These awards recognise the impact on society of the work
of 1000 prolific women throughout the world.
CREDITS
Director – Bruce Jamieson
Producer – Alice de Sousa
THE CAST
NORA – Alice Grace
HELEN – Stephanie Nielson
TORVALD – Stephen Russell-Bird
MRS. LINDE – Kate Izon
DR. RANK – Martin Beere
KROGSTAD – Alex Hutchinson
The Creative Team
Deputy Stage Manager – Elizabeth Buckeridge
Costume Design/Construction – Richard Cooke
Lighting Designer – Robert Gooch
Scenery Design/Construction – Alex Marker
Publicity Design – Alison Rayner
Stills Photographer – Paul L.T. Welch
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REVIEWS
“In many ways this is an insightful production. Bruce Jamieson’s
revival of the Ibsen play, despite its 19th Century setting, always seems startlingly
modern.” – THE GUARDIAN
“Something must be said for the Greenwich Playhouse, it is remarkably refreshing
to come across a theatre of such a high standard – one that exudes class.
Galleon’s production is simply one of those not to be missed!” – indielondon.co.uk
“This excellent production benefits from a very strong cast and expert
steerage from director Bruce Jamieson and producer Alice de Sousa… An
intelligently staged, beautifully executed production that I was extremely glad
to watch. Highly recommended.”.” – Theatre World
“If this were a Hollywood movie, we’d be cheering – and not
just because the oppressed stands up to the oppressor.” – Time Out |
