THE HANGOVER REPORT – Jessica Chastain takes on Nora in Jamie Lloyd’s stripped-down, clear-eyed Broadway revival of Ibsen’s A DOLL’S HOUSE

Jessica Chastain in “A Doll’s House” at the Hudson Theatre (photo by courtesy of the production).

Tonight, the hotly anticipated revival of Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House starring Academy Award-winning actress Jessica Chastain opened on Broadway at the Hudson Theatre. For those of you unfamiliar with the landmark 1879 play, it tells the revolutionary story of Nora Helmer, a married woman who navigates and ultimately reacts against the chauvinistic norms of her time, standing up for herself by slamming the door on her marriage and family.

The revival features a new translation by playwright Amy Herzog, which brings a contemporary edge to Ibsen’s underlying play (which was originally written in Norwegian). Although the classic work’s prevalence in performance and the evolution of society have lessened the play’s shock value and feminist impact, A Doll’s House nevertheless remains a brilliantly plotted drama and a potent reminder of the oppressive environment endured by women in prior times. Director Jamie Lloyd’s production – which is staged, sans intermission, in the auteur director’s signature stripped-down (there’s nary a prop nor set piece), clear-eyed style – is bound to be polarizing. In many respects, the precisely-staged revival resembles a glorified reading, which may frustrate those expecting a more concrete sense of time and place. Lloyd has also instructed his cast to deliver their lines to deliberately steer clear of movement and any sort of histrionics, thereby relying squarely on Herzog’s text to generate the dramatic heat.

The cast largely do well to adhere to Lloyd’s uncompromising vision for the play. As Nora, Ms. Chastain gives a cool, intentionally reserved performance that aligns well with the staging. I found the decision to move far away from the overly chirpy Noras of past productions a fascinating one, although the choice gives her performance a one-note kind of quality. The rest of the cast follow suite, giving subdued, slow-burning performances.

RECOMMENDED

A DOLL’S HOUSE
Broadway, Play
Hudson Theatre
1 hour, 50 minutes
Through June 10

Categories: Broadway, Theater

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