Theaterworks, Hartford, CT
through February 24, 2019
By Stuart Gamble
In 1879, Henrik
Ibsen’s revolutionary, pro-feminist play “A Doll’s House” stunned its
middle-class audience when the play’s heroine Nora Helmer opened the door and
walked out on her husband and three young children. Now, 140 years later,
playwright Lucas Hnath’s sequel, “A Doll’s House Part 2,” speculates on what
happens after that iconic moment of a women’s battle against an oppressive
existence.
It is now 15 years later and a middle-aged Nora returns. She
is greeted by the Helmer’s faithful housekeeper/nanny Anne Marie.
Understandably shocked by Nora’s sudden appearance, Anne Marie expresses both
disbelief and a distant relief upon learning Nora’s reason to return. Soon,
Nora also confronts her controlling husband Torvald, who is also visually
shaken by Nora’s unexpected homecoming. Finally, Nora reunites with her
daughter Emmy in a rather ironic mother-daughter first meeting.
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| Tasha Lawrence, Photo by Lanny Nagler |
Tasha Lawrence’s Nora is a multi-layered characterization.
Filled equally with fire and ice; her Nora is unafraid to let her feelings be
known. Both sympathetic and frank, Lawrence shows the sound and fury of a woman
who has boldly survived in a truly Darwinian way. Both warm and harsh, she
confronts her accusers like a wrongly persecuted victim on trial who must
defend her reputation and even her very reasons to exist.
The supporting cast performs equally as well with Lawrence.
Amelia White’s Anne Marie nervously tries to quell Nora’s anger and newly-found
freedom with disapproval and guilt for deserting her family. She even drops a
few F-bombs that put Nora’s ego in its place. Sam Gregory’s Torvald at first
appears rather doltish, but soon evolves into an equal sparring partner with
Nora. Finally, Kira Player’s cold as ice Emmy, would have been better named
Torvald Jr. for her passive aggressive insidious plan to silence Nora for good.
Director Jenn Thompson’s simple staging place actors merely
confronting each other about Big issues. The production’s austerity is further
emphasized by Alexander Dodge’s set consisting of two elegant chairs and three
framed light panels that zap on and off at scene changes (courtesy of Phillip
Rosenberg and Broken Chord’s respective lighting and sound design). Alejo
Vietti’s elegantly simple costumes depict the rigidness of Victorian life.
One question lingers in this reviewer’s mind: Is a sequel
necessary? And can it ever compare to the original? The answer is an
unqualified Yes. The most relevant evidence is in Nora’s line to her daughter:
“I’m not going to follow these bad [societal] rules, this is my chance to
change the rules..”
A note to theatre-goers: This is the last Theaterworks’
2018/19 play to be staged at its Pearl Street location. The remainder of this
season will be performed at the Wadsworth Athenaeum’s Auditorium, while
renovations take place at TW in anticipation of its 2019-20 season.
