HEDDA GABLER // MAY 5 - 26, 2024
THE COAL MINE THEATRE PRESENTS THE WORLD PREMIERE OF:
HEDDA GABLER
By Henrik Ibsen
A new version by Liisa Repo-Martell
Directed by Moya O’Connell
Hedda Gabler is a play written by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. The world premiere was staged on 31 January 1891 at the Residenztheatre in Munich. Ibsen himself was in attendance, although he remained back-stage. The play has been canonized as a masterpiece within the genres of literary realism. Hedda Gabler dramatizes the experiences of the title character, Hedda, the daughter of a general, who is trapped in a marriage and a house that she does not want. Overall, the title character for Hedda Gabler is considered one of the great dramatic roles in theater. The year following its publication, the play received negative feedback and reviews. Hedda Gabler has been described as a female variation of Hamlet.
"I cannot wait to see Diana bring her wicked wit and wild heart to tackling one of the most outrageous and compelling characters in the history of theatre. She is a fearless, hilarious and original artist. Her Hedda will be all of those things."
– Liisa Repo-Martell
Moya O’Connell on the play:
“What are these souls reaching for?
At the centre of the play is Hedda- an unknowable creature. We long to understand her edges and hidden places, we seek her vulnerable spots and the reasons behind her character but like every truly great creation she eludes us. The life force of Hedda is immense. The hunger of Hedda is immense. Her Soul reaches for more as the world tells her she should be satiated in her sitting room. A woman not made for her time. Perhaps not our time. Nor any time at all. She cannot and will not be contained.
Each of the characters in this play are extraordinary portraits. It is polyphonic. Many voices. Deeply detailed. Transgressive. Idealistic. A play about art and creation and destruction and birth and money and sex and death. You know, the good stuff. A single sitting room over the course of 48 hours where unspoken desires roil just beneath the surface. The play teems with life and sex and rot and transgression. With Coal Mine Theatre, we have the opportunity to stage a radically intimate experience for the audience. And to collaborate on a new adaptation of Hedda Gabler by Liisa Repo-Martell is a gift. Liisa understands Ibsen and the theatre and this moment. To examine this play with her keen eye, brilliant mind and huge heart is thrilling.”
