Henrik Ibsen’s
Hedda Gabler
Call for auditions
About Hedda Gabler
The Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen wrote the play Hedda Gabler in the 1890s, and the world has held a fascination for the text since. Hedda, daughter of prominent general Gabler, has just returned from her honeymoon with academic Tesman, and she’s bored already of her confined life. She yearns to control the fate of the people around her – troubled genius Løvborg, manipulative charmer Brack. Hedda Gabler is a portrait of a complex anti-heroin, and a pressure cooker of a play that plays out in a single day in Hedda and Tesman’s house.
Characters:
Hedda
Tesman – Her husband, an academic
Miss Juliana Tesman – his aunt
Judge Brack – a local magistrate and charmer
Mrs. Elvsted – went to the same school as Hedda
Løvborg – a troubled genius
Berta – a servant at the Tesmans
Who are we looking for?
Our actors could be anyone. We cast regardless of gender, ethnicity, nationality, age etc., and are very interested in seeing different interpretations of the characters.
As an international group we welcome accents and all levels of experience. We do ask for a decent mastery of the English language and reliability in terms of attendance and dedication.
The original Norwegian play has 7 characters, which means all characters have a substantial part. We will likely cast two people in the role of Hedda Gabler, who then switch places between shows. We will decide together which actor will perform which show in advance.
Crew responsibilities
As an amateur theatre group we rely on volunteers. We have found that actors’ contributions in crew are pivotal for both successful productions and our tight-knit community. That is why each cast member will be asked to take on some responsibilities as crew as well. This could mean anything from gathering and making props/costumes, building set, to keeping up social media and distributing flyers for ticket sales.
How to audition?
Due to a rise in sign-ups, we are introducing a round of video auditions to make sure that we can give everyone a fair shot. You will be asked to record a 2-minute monologue or dialogue of your choice, in which we will mainly be assessing your acting basics. We will assess whether we will invite you to the in-person audition based on this video. Instructions for self-taping a video audition are found below. The deadline for video auditions is Wednesday 21 January, and the results will be communicated by Wednesday 28 January.
Shortlisted actors will be invited for in-person auditions, which will take place in Utrecht on:
Monday, 2nd of February 2026 - 19:00 - 22:00
Tuesday, 3rd of February 2026 - 19:00 - 22:00
Rehearsals
Rehearsals will be on Tuesday and Thursday (only in May) evenings from 19:00 - 22:00. The first rehearsal will be on the 10th of February. We will organise a rehearsal weekend on 25 and 26 April.
We’ll be performing Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler on 30 and 31 May 2026 in Utrecht, and on 6 and 7 June in Amsterdam.
Some important notes:
This is an amateur production, and actors will be asked to pay a participation fee of €150*. A reduced participation fee is available if your financial situation would make participation difficult.
We will ask all cast members to help out the crew where possible. You could help out with gathering props or costumes, aid in transport, etc.
The sign-up sheet contains an availability check. Please fill this in very carefully. If you get cast and agree to participate, we will expect you to attend on all of the dates you indicated you could be there, excepting sickness and emergencies. Any unplanned absences need to be closely communicated in order to protect the quality of the rehearsals.
Registration for the auditions will close on Wednesday 21 January.
Once you are registered, you will receive a confirmation. If you are selected for in-person auditions, approximately a week before your audition, you’ll receive the address of the location, some additional information and materials to prepare for the audition. You will not be required to memorise any texts.
Good luck! We are looking forward to meeting you.
* We understand that people’s financial situations may differ. We aim to be inclusive, so if you fear you cannot afford the participation fee, please let us know directly. Asking for the reduced participation fee will not affect your chances of being cast.
You can pay with your U pas allowance
Registration form
Self-taped video audition instructions
Register yourself for the auditions through the registration form.Record a monologue or dialogue of your choice. Keep the length at approximately 2 minutes. You can choose a monologue/dialogue yourself, or pick one of the suggested texts below.Introduce yourself very briefly at the start of the recording. If you chose a different text from the ones below, mention where the text is from.Email the video directly or send a link to an unlisted (YouTube) video to auditions@englishtheatreutrecht.com.
Dialogue 1
HEDDA: So you are here again, Judge!
BRACK: As you see, Mrs. Tesman!
HEDDA: [Raises the pistol and points.] Now I'll shoot you, Judge Brack!
BRACK: No, no, no! Don't stand aiming at me!
HEDDA: This is what comes of sneaking in by the back way.[She fires.
BRACK: Are you out of your senses—!
HEDDA: Dear me—did I happen to hit you?
BRACK: I wish you would let these pranks alone!
HEDDA: Come in then, Judge.
JUDGE BRACK, dressed as though for a men's party, enters by
the glass door. He carries a light overcoat over his arm.
BRACK: What the deuce—haven't you tired of that sport, yet? What are you shooting at?
HEDDA: Oh, I am only firing in the air.
BRACK: [Gently takes the pistol out of her hand.] Allow me, madam! Ah—I know this pistol well! Where is the case? Ah, here it is. Now we won't play at that game any more to-day.
HEDDA: Then what in heaven's name would you have me do with myself?
BRACK: Have you had no visitors?
HEDDA: Not one. I suppose all our set are still out of town.
BRACK: And is Tesman not at home either?
HEDDA: No. He rushed off to his aunt's directly after lunch; he didn't expect you so early.
BRACK: H'm—how stupid of me not to have thought of that!
HEDDA: Why stupid?
BRACK: Because if I had thought of it I should have come a little—earlier.Dialogue 2
HEDDA: Oh yes, but there is. There is a great deal more—I can see that. Sit here—and we'll have a cosy, confidential chat. [She forces MRS. ELVSTED to sit in the easy-chair beside the
stove, and seats herself on one of the footstools.]MRS. ELVSTED: [Anxiously, looking at her watch.] But, my dear Mrs. Tesman—I was really on the point of going.HEDDA: Oh, you can't be in such a hurry.—Well? Now tell me something about your life at home.MRS. ELVSTED: Oh, that is just what I care least to speak about.HEDDA: But to me, dear—? Why, weren't we schoolfellows?MRS. ELVSTED: Yes, but you were in the class above me. Oh, how dreadfully afraid of you I was then!HEDDA: Afraid of me?MRS. ELVSTED: Yes, dreadfully. For when we met on the stairs you used always to pull my hair.HEDDA: Did I, really?MRS. ELVSTED: Yes, and once you said you would burn it off my head.HEDDA: Oh that was all nonsense, of course.MRS. ELVSTED: Yes, but I was so silly in those days.—And since then, too—we have drifted so far—far apart from each other. Our circles have been so entirely different.HEDDA: Well then, we must try to drift together again. Now listen. At school we called each other by our Christian names—MRS. ELVSTED: No, I am sure you must be mistaken.HEDDA: No, not at all! I can remember quite distinctly. So now we are going to renew our old friendship. [Draws the footstool closer to MRS. ELVSTED.] There now! [Kisses her cheek.] You must call me Hedda.MRS. ELVSTED: [Presses and pats her hands.] Oh, how good and kind you are! I am not used to such kindness.HEDDA: There, there, there! And I shall say du to you, as in the old days, and call you my dear Thora.MRS. ELVSTED: My name is Thea.