Halvard Solness, a leading architect at the height of his fame, is paralysed by fear. Fear of the younger generation. Fear of irrelevance. Fear of the past catching up with him. When young, enigmatic Hilde Wangel (Louisa Binder) bursts back into his world, she reminds him of the promise he made her ten years ago.
As she inspires him to even greater heights, Solness is forced to confront the true cost of his success. Will his final creation set him free, or be his downfall?
Greg Hicks stars, reuniting with Arcola’s Artistic Director Mehmet Ergen following sold-out productions An Enemy of The People and Richard III, in this bold new staging of Henrik Ibsen’s masterpiece about ambition and legacy. We sat down with Louisa to discuss her upcoming performance.
This show runs from 16th October – 26th November at Arcola Theatre. Tickets are available here.
Emilie Bardach, who is often described as an inspiration for Hilde, said there was “little of me in Hilde.” How do you understand who Hilde is, beyond the idea of her as Ibsen’s muse?
Hilde, to me, is a character of opposites. She arrives with this boisterous, childlike excitement and yet, also possesses a fierce and considered hunger for life – for adventure, recognition, and the things she believes she is owed. She is both honest and cryptic; soft and yet incredibly powerful. She walks into every scene and completely changes the temperature. I am particularly interested in the duality of her public and private self. She sometimes feels quite magical and otherworldly, but there is something very human about her experience and the things she wants. I think seeing her only as Ibsen’s muse would be an injustice on how complex she is, and the journey she goes on as a young woman trying to achieve her fantasy.
Do you see Hilde as a disruptive force acting on Solness, or as someone who brings his own fears, desires, and fantasies to the surface?
It’s definitely a combination. The interesting thing is that I don’t believe she brings anything to Solness that he hasn’t already considered himself; she’s just the catalyst that forces him to confront it. She has this very compelling fantastical, omniscient/oracular vibe to her which can definitely feel quite exposing, and her confidence and persistence do make her presence feel quite volatile, but I think it’s her instinctive understanding of people that make her so affecting. She knows where and how to keep pushing to get the answers she wants. She is so fascinating, and I’m excited every day to see what I discover next.
What do you think makes Hilde feel so contemporary, despite the age of the play?
For me, it’s because I recognise so much of what she is in myself and other young
women around me. Even 130 years later, we’re still wrestling with the same things. We want to matter – to ourselves, others and the world. We want to belong, and discover who we are and what kind of life we want. We test boundaries and learn what we are willing to sacrifice on our journeys. I also think there’s something very modern about her refusal to be passive. She wants things, and if asking isn’t enough, she goes out and gets them. Her obsession – the all-consuming nature of her desires – is also what makes her feel so relatable. I think we can all recognise the effects of ambition in ourselves, and the question of “what we’re willing to do to get it” is a timeless one.
How aware do you think Hilde is of the effect she has on Solness, and how much of that effect is intentional?
I’m hesitant to fully answer this because I think it’s a huge part of the play, and it’s more exciting to leave it to the audience. Having said that, I believe she is very aware of her effect on not only Solness, but everyone she encounters. She’s incredibly perceptive, and her playfulness and confidence make her interactions with the characters really fun and complex. But I think the most exciting question is what her true intentions are? I don’t think I want to give my answer to that, I’d much rather invite you to watch her and decide for yourselves…
Hilde can be playful, provocative, and unsettling in equal measure. Is there a particular line or moment that you find hardest to play without tipping her into villainy?
Some of my favourite moments in the play are when we see Hilde realise she has power over Solness, and watch her decide whether to retreat or lean into it further. Those moments can, of course, make her seem manipulative or turn her playfulness into something more dangerous. But I think it is very important to remember what happened to her, and why she arrives at the Solness’ home in the first place. I am most interested in playing the sincerity underneath that provocation, and in unearthing whyshe chooses to follow through with her childhood fantasy. The danger of making her appear too villainous comes partly from her mystery, but I want to try and keep the memory of her vulnerability and youth under the bravado… I think she’s just a girl wrestling with her experiences, and trying to work out what they mean.