Capitalism, class and the queer experience clash in this LGBT+ adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s classic.
We’re in the aftermath of a party at Hedda (Joe Harrington) and George’s (Caleb Cura) new flat in Marylebone. They’re married. However, their lives are turned upside down by the arrival of both “B” (Saskia Mollard), George’s new intern and Eilert (Ciara Southwood), George’s former apprentice, who returns to town with mysterious motives.
What follows after that party are candid, tender and intense verbal disputes between a colourful and distinctive set of characters.
In this world of spoiled brats and “bohemian” ideals, Dan Sinclair, a playwright adapting Henrik Ibsen’s classic 1891 text with a fresh and queer perspective, gives the characters the chance to shine and breathe. While its first 15 minutes are hard to swallow–mainly because of its forced, cringe jokes–the play finds its footing once Anthony (Peter Todd) wakes up from the party, completing the ensemble in almost perfect fashion. While I didn’t find Hedda to be that interesting or complex, I did think he works as the epicentre of conflict. And the stage production works best when there are only two people in the room.
That’s why one of the highlights is the relationship Hedda has with Anthony. Their chemistry, as well as the sexual tension between them, is tangible. Another key pair is “B” and Hedda because you get to explore the former’s nuance, which will pay off in that climactic finale. The scene in question works wonderfully since it brings the point of the play home: how class privilege and the unawareness of it can make us obnoxious and selfish. When you add race, gender and queerness to the mix, things get even more intense. Dan uses today’s modern anxieties and its context to the story’s advantage. Most of the drama and political commentary lands not only because of Dan’s reinterpretation. Josh Maughan’s direction makes the play come to life, by offering us over-the-top yet multidimensional performances, striking and surreal lightning sequences and a provocative set design, made in collaboration with Tobias Abbot, the designer responsible for the production’s artistic direction.
While it labels itself as a dark comedy, I would describe Hedda Gabler (this is not bohemia) as a tragic melodrama for the modern age. Its major task is to make its obnoxious yet sympathetic humans look themselves in the mirror, failing miserably.