A Doll’s House premiered this past fall at London’s Lyric Hammersmith Theatre. With an interesting new adaptation of Henrik Ibson’s classic, playwright, Tanika Gupta displaces the setting to 1879 Calcutta, amidst British colonization. In this production, the characters Nora and Torvald are renamed Niru and Tom, adding thematic depth relevant to todays society. Directed by Lyric Hammersmith’s new artistic director, Rachel O’Riordan, this production is remarkable for it’s ability to elevate the original story while remaining faithful to its form and most of its original text, avoiding the common downfalls of unrelated reimaginings,
As soon as the lights beamed on the compartmentalized limestone courtyard, the audience was instantly drawn to the heat of this exotic and uncharted exploration of the nineteenth century propriety we associate with A Doll’s House. Anjana Vasan emerges fresh-faced and floundering about the stage with a captivating twinkle. Her portrayal of Niru (Nora), with her playful curiosity, made the character refreshing and captivating to watch, as she evolved from a young adult to a fierce well-versed woman.
The production’s notable acting was accompanied by an interesting scenic design that paid homage to original groundwork of A Doll’s House. In the center of a courtyard, an enormous tree runs from the ground to the ceiling of the set, possibly paying homage to the staple Christmas tree that is iconic to the scenic design of the original Doll’s House. The confined layout had prison-like undertones, which oozed with thematic metaphors of Nora’s confinement within her marriage, and the limitations imposed on her by her gender.
While the theme of female experience remained central, Gupta’s introduction of colonialism in the first act was a bold move that provided another layer to the drama. Characters Tom (formerly Torvald), played by eliot cowan, and Dr. Rank, played by Colin Tierney, engaged in candid discussions about imperialism. This intertwined the characters’ pursuit of male dominance with the desire to control other worlds. The timeline to how the plotting unfolds added dynamics and complexity to the arguably ‘tired’ original.
The decision to put up Tanika Gupta’s A Doll’s House is timely, given the need for more representation for actors, and diverse stories in the theatre world; especially in navigating conduct and awareness post the #MeToo era. The Lyric Hammersmith has not disappointed with its first show of the season under new artistic director Rachel O’Riordan. A Doll’s House is a must-see for it’s success in breathing new life into a classic work, and for Anjana Vasan’s performance, which will likely and hopefully pave the way for more women of color to be represented in classic Victorian pieces.
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