What I liked
With a new translation straight from the National Theatre in London, this production of Hedda Gabler is a breath of fresh air for anyone tormented by the often stilted Ibsen translation theatre students dread. Having such a fresh translation really helps highlight why this play still deserves its place in theatre history.
Performances all around deserve applause, but I think special notice has to go towards Meg as Hedda for turning in such a sharp, specific slice of acting and Connor as the charming, sly, and calculating Brack.
This production was so exciting! Each character has deeply felt motivations and desires that are fundamentally incompatible with the others. Hedda may be the queen of twisting the knife, but the others all do the same in their own ways. The drama is juicy, laced with wit, and it left me eager to see what was just around the corner.
Best use of balloons I’ve seen in ages.
What I didn't like
I wish the onstage piano was utilized more.
My overall impression
I know this isn’t going to sound like great praise, but it’s truly something that the Attic Collective were able to pull off a play that lives in the nightmares of theatre majors in a way that wasn’t boring. It was, in fact, supremely compelling, imaginative, and spellbinding.
