Seaford Little Theatre breaks new ground with Ibsen masterpiece

George Bernard Shaw said of Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen’s ground-breaking play, A Doll’s House: ‘The sound of that pioneering door-slam reverberated around the entire world.’

Why was there a premiere in Denmark rather than in Ibsen’s own Norway? Simply because the message was far too indigestible for Victorian Norwegian society, despite being based on a true story, as evidenced by the fact that spent his most creative years in virtual exile from 1862 to 1888.

Now, 145 years later, Seaford Little Theatre is continuing its policy of adding challenging dramas to the popular mix of comedies, thrillers and mainstream works that are the hallmark of so many local community theatres that have pleased audiences with ‘safe’ and familiar plays.

In the same way that deep-seated fears of Shakespeare’s language being ‘funny’ make them inaccessible to many people, the Norwegian playwright’s dramas – which are second only to the Bard’s productions worldwide in terms of how often they are acted – also suffer from language that is too stilted for modern tastes.

Director David Parton has catered for this element of sales resistance by presenting an entirely new translation that is easy on the ears of a modern audience.

The stress is on the word ‘translation’. It is not, what is increasingly the fashion these days, a case of presenting classical dramas in the guise of ‘adaptations’ where the story is dressed up in new allegorical clothing, but an actual direct translation of the original Norwegian text rendered in language that makes it readily accessible.

A very strong cast will be giving their all at the Little Theatre, 4 Steyne Road, Seaford from September 6 to 14.

Performances on the 7th-13th at 7.45pm, with matinees on the 6th and 14th at 2.30pm. Full details are available on the Seaford Little Theatre website, including box office details, at seafordlittletheatreco.uk.