Hedda Gabler

From our director…

“When I first read Hedda Gabler, the text blew me away – so intimate, dangerous, real. I knew I wanted to work with this text. I missed out on a lot of Ibsen’s amazing work until quite recently, having only seen a production of Et Dukkehjem (A Doll’s House) and Gengangere (Ghosts) a few years back. It’s a pressure cooker of a play, playing out in just two consecutive days in a single location.

The role of Hedda is an important female voice in classical repertoire plays (often considered the Hamlet for female presenting actors). It’s certainly a rich, layered role that can be interpreted in many different ways. Hedda is not at all written as a likeable person at all, but through Ibsen’s skillfull writing, the audience is compelled to root for her, in spite of all her actions. In our version, Hedda is almost redeemable. Almost. We made the decision to make two versions of the play, each with a different actor portraying Hedda, Thea, and Tesman. I was interested to see what depth each actor could take from the other, while still keeping their version their own. A risk, but one that’s paid off.

Eef and Alisa each portray a very different Hedda. Eef’s Hedda is bold, and visibly seeks to amuse herself, although there is a dark undercurrent that is always present. Alisa’s Hedda is more observing, somewhat softer, sultry even. Her Hedda is hiding the game she plays seemingly. But through each other’s performances, we together learn more about the character. I keep on making discoveries about who the characters are, even months into the rehearsal process.

I try to foster a very inclusive and collaborative rehearsal room, and in many circumstances I often only act as a mirror – reflecting back at the actors what I saw in their performances. The approach keeps me on my toes as well. I am learning a lot from the cast and crew. Hedda Gabler’s cast consists of strong, experienced actors but also relative newcomers to the scene. But each has been incredibly enthusiastic from the start, and I see each of them grow every time we meet.

Ibsen was a Norwegian, and our text is a homebrewed translation inspired by several different modern translations. Ibsen’s translations are often quite faithful, but of course, they’re a layer removed from the direct text we use in the rehearsal room.

We cast two Norwegians in our production, Tord and Marte, it’s been a lot of fun to have their perspective on the play. Ibsen is sort of the Norwegian Shakespeare and, similarly, integral to the Norwegian curriculum and national identity. But maybe more importantly, Marte and Tord can simply pick up the original text and read it to get closest to the original intention of the playwright.

English Theatre Utrecht’s plays typically deal with serious topics, but are portrayed with a good amount of humour and laughter. Hedda Gabler is no exception. It’s a dark play, yes, but it’s funny and seductive. I want the audience to laugh at the unashamed boldness of Hedda’s behaviour.

Our mission is to connect the international and local community around Utrecht, by making thoughtful, meaningful and passionate theatre. We aim to foster an inclusive community of people who share our passion for theatre. Our activities are open to people of all sizes, shapes and skill level, and we work towards reducing financial barriers against participation. The community is diverse, queer and incredibly welcoming. In this community, I get to learn from talented, experienced directors, makers and actors, and in turn I get to teach it to others.”

-Jasper Landman

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