Do3: Sunday 8th April, Ibsen

[french frank]

At its new time of 7.30pm - 9.45pm, The Wild Duck, by Henrik Ibsen:

A family creates an imaginary forest in their loft room for a wounded wild duck. But will someone come to shatter their dreams?

Hjalmar Ekdal ... David Threlfall
Gregers Werle ... Samuel West
Old Werle ... James Fox
Gina Ekdal ... Lise-Ann McLaughlin
Hedvig ... Lauren Cornelius
Old Ekdal ... Clive Hayward
Relling ... Michael Bertenshaw
Mrs Sørby ... Georgie Glen

Translated and adapted by Christopher Hampton
Directed and Produced by Peter Kavanagh

[gradus]

Thanks for the reminder, Ibsen seems to receive few performances these days. Oh for a great Peer Gynt that equals the sublime 1990 NT production with Steven Moore and David Morrissey.

[Conchis]

This is not one of his better plays but will still give it a listen.

[french frank]

Not much interest? I thought it was a good production, especially the major characters - Threlfall, West and McLaughlin. It's a pretty strange play, but suspending disbelief in the basic situation (not always very easy), the performances were convincing and the shattering emotions in proportion. For Christopher Hampton it was Ibsen's best play.

I did have a bit of a problem with Gregors Werle's character and motivation, but as I said … High intensity drama which within its own context was horrifyingly gripping.

[gradus]

Not much interest? I thought it was a good production, especially the major characters - Threlfall, West and McLaughlin. It's a pretty strange play, but suspending disbelief in the basic situation (not always very easy), the performances were convincing and the shattering emotions in proportion. For Christopher Hampton it was Ibsen's best play.

I did have a bit of a problem with Gregors Werle's character and motivation, but as I said … High intensity drama which within its own context was horrifyingly gripping.

I managed to miss it, one for iPlayer.