This semester, Tufts' Department of Drama and Dance tackles a dramatic classic as it stages "Hedda Gabler."
First published by Henrik Ibsen in 1890 and premiered onstage the following year in Germany, "Hedda Gabler" tells the story of the title character's marriage and her attempt to improve her life. When her husband's academic rival appears to be threatening her husband's livelihood and success, Hedda decides she must intervene. Between these attempts and her own struggle to overcome her intense boredom with the life she leads, Hedda loses control, and her actions lead to disastrous consequences.
At its heart, Hedda Gabler revolves around the trials and tribulations of its main character, and Tufts' production remains true to this theme. "Hedda's goals are completely of herself," freshman Rachel Schoenbrun, who plays Hedda, said.
Director Sheriden Thomas, a lecturer in the drama department, also sees Hedda's inner struggles as a leading element of the play. "Hedda is a thwarted male energy in a female body," Thomas said.
The play highlights this disconnect between Hedda's inner self and the society in which she lives.
With the aide of an updated adaptation by playwright Christopher Shinn, Tufts' production of "Hedda Gabler" transplants the late−19th century work into a more modern setting. Thomas has chosen to place the production in the late ‘60s, bringing the themes of the original work to a setting more familiar to a college audience.
"We are going for something like ‘Mad Men' style," Thomas said, referencing the popular television drama also set in the ‘60s. Thomas' interpretation will also feel more cinematic than many plays, with a dramatic musical underscore setting the tone during many of Hedda's solitary moments. These new elements promise to make Tufts' production of "Hedda Gabler" an interesting take on a classic play and worthy of an evening at the theater.
"Hedda Gabler" will be onstage in Tufts' Balch Arena Theater from Feb. 18 through Feb. 20, and Feb. 25 through Feb. 27 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $7 for Tufts students and senior citizens and $12 for the general public.
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