At the CAA Theatre, Toronto, Ont.
Written by Lucas Hnath
Directed by Krista Jackson
Set and costumes by Teresa Pzybylski
Lighting by Michael Walton
Sound by Michael Wright
Cast: Paul Essiembre
Deborah Hay
Kate Hennig
Bahareh Yaraghi
A thoughtful, bracing, deeply human production of Lucas Hnath’s dazzling ‘continuation’ of Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House.
Krista Jackson’s thoughtful, carefully paced and balanced production explores the notions of women in society and marriage, man-woman relations, the mores of the time, how women and men acted and were perceived, the rigid code of behaviour expected of men and women in Ibsen’s day and how far we have come since then or not.
Full review to follow
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Dear Lynn:
How I love your reviews…and the scope of your reviews!
And how disappointed I was in the Doll’s House part 2, which I saw two nights ago with my 30ish daughter. In fact both of us were disappointed… I found the play sophomoric. Deborah Hay, an actor I always look forward to seeing, was playing Laurie Metcalf…I wish she had found her own interpretation of Nora in this production…only Laurie can do Laurie! I had empathy for Kate Hennig (another I actor I enjoy) and also to Paul Essiembre. I disliked the playwright tossing in crude language, a ploy I felt was to remind us that we are listening to current language in a nineteenth century setting…audiences are not that undiscerning.
Until my daughter gave me her opinions, I thought my feelings were because I am ‘over the hill’. Her feelings of disappointment are stronger than mine.
I am sorry to write you about a less than satisfactory theatre experience; one tends to do that. I do so enjoy your reviews and most times I am learn so much “theatre’ from them. There are usually many redeeming parts of most theatre I attend.
Thank you for your reviews.