review of A Doll's House
My initial impression of the play started when we walked in to the theatre space. The space was small and more intimate than other plays I had recently seen. The furthest seat from the stage was perhaps only 15 feet away. There was no curtain and the set was fixed with a large apron and the stage was not raised but was at floor level with the first row of seats. I immediately got the impression of being in someone's living room. This production of Henrik Ibsen's groundbreaking play, "The Doll House" was staged in a black box theatre which was converted from an old warehouse. The Great Canadian Theatre Company (GCTC) lends itself well to this type of intimate performance where the audience can get close to the action on stage and make a connection with the characters. The stage and set design used a proscenium arch design combined with a somewhat large apron which extended the acting area out past the proscenium area giving the audience a feeling of more intimate involvement. Ibsen utilizes a writing structure similar to that of classical Greek theatre, and uses psychological insight that reflects his own position in theatre history. The play is considered to be the first in the genre of Realism, which valued real portray
The character Kristine's earthy costume colors and the use of more worn and faded materials which reflect her practical down-to-earth attitude and helps to highlight the differences between her character and Nora's. For this production front lighting was used almost exclusively. The simplified set design simply suggested a place and time that carried connotations of the atmosphere inherent in the background of play. The wooden floors where painted in perspective with the lines coming closer together as they moved upstage. Nora's costume suggests pampered doll living on a budget. Full back and ¾ positions were well avoided. Suggestions of action taking place off stage were minimal which helped to establish the given circumstances of the play but did not draw focus away from the action taking place on stage. The small number of cast members and the static nature of the scenery all served to focus me on the action and the dialogue, which is the real strength of Ibsen's play. Most of the action appeared to centre around upstage left and upstage right, with the sofa acting as an anchor upstage centre. The overall set design complimented the action and worked well at establishing the mood and period, and was effective even when the stage was empty (for example during intermission when the stage was dark except for a Christmas tree decorated with real candles). They added a complimentary and subtle touch to the characterizations of the main players. The interpretation of the Doll House worked in the GCTC space. For example, Torvald's costumes suggest his overt concern with his place and status in society, and his need to be socially acceptable as well as his thriftiness. The set was painted to resemble wooden walls and wooden floors, which gave it a warm feel. This helped the audience focus on the dialogue which is the real source of anticipation in this play.
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,
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