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A DOLL'S HOUSE by Henrik Ibsen
New End Theatre www.newendtheatre.co.uk
16 April - 5 May 2002
Translated, Directed and Designed by Terje Tveit
Lighting Design by Finnuala McNulty
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 Sarah Head, Russell Bentley
Juliet Fitzgerald, Sarah Head,
Tom Peters
Sarah Head, Tom Peters
Ensemble
Sarah Head, Graham Elwell
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| Cast: (in order of appearance) |
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| Nora Helmer |
Sarah Head |
| Torvald Helmer |
Tom Peters |
| Kristine Linde |
Juliet Fitzgerald |
| Dr Rank |
Graham Elwell |
| Nils Krogstad |
Russell Bentley |
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What the Critics said:
"The stage of Terje Tveit's modern production is loaded with big tempting parcels,
it's set at Christmas, but the image rings all sorts of alarm bells: this is a time of
year noted for domestic strife, while the piled-up presents reveal trapped wife Nora's
spendthrift nature and suggest not just secrets and things hidden beneath the wrappers
but also toys and the child-like games Nora and husband Torvald - a watchable Tom Peters
- play to avoid addressing the chasm in their relationship. … Sarah Head is a whirlwind
force to be reckoned with in a cohesive and coherent production with energy to burn."
Time Out
"The five-person cast play the children of the house as well as the adults of
the drama. They race around the stage between scenes, playing hide-and-seek and
singing Christmas carols; this noisy enthusiasm contrasts with the increasingly
strained undercurrents of the adult world. In many productions, actors seem to find
themselves daunted by the complexity of the various characters. It's a testament to
the skills of both the cast and the director that in this staging the characters are
never anything but three-dimensional. This is a must-see production."
Camden New Journal
"In Dale Teater Kompani's stripped-down adaptation directed by Terje Tveit, the
moments of high drama and conflict are handled with gripping sureness of touch and
paced with wonderful precision. When Krogstad the blackmailer - an excellent Russell
Bentley - confronts Nora, and when Nora confronts her husband Helmer, you can feel
the zig-zags of electricity on stage. Sarah Head makes a fine Nora and portrays her
winsome self-infantilism with subtle care."
Metro
"At the centre is a strong Ibsen portrayal. Sarah Head shows the technical assurance
and emotional understanding of a fine Nora. She signals her new awareness of her husband
and their marriage early, standing statue-like on a gift-wrapped box, arms out and
expressing deep shock, turned from Helmer as he moves with childish lack of emotional
control through extremes of fear and relief. Head clearly shows enlightenment awakening
Nora's mind; the face is immobile apart from the eyes, which register the dawning
realisation of her husband's weakness and its massive implication for her own future.
… Non-realistic Ibsen wins out thanks to some clear ideas and a beautifully-acted Nora."
Reviews Gate
"The set strewn with parcels and a green stepladder, suggests an old toyshop window
- a happy façade behind which the troubles of the Helmer household are hidden - a valid
decision. … Nora's ending is allowed to create a powerful, climactic ending.
… As Nora Sarah Head has a strong presence and command of the stage and is notable
alongside the other cast members."
The Stage
Norwegian Review - Bergens Tidende
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