Review by Ian Spiby

Stantonbury Theatre - 15 October 2015

I’ve often said, paraphrasing Sir Thomas Beecham, that I would swop the whole of Shakespeare’s canon for a single play by Ibsen and think that I had greatly profited by the exchange. And Rosemary Hill’s production of A Doll’s House  went a long way to re-confirming that view.

A Doll’s House is often regarded as the play which launched the revolution in theatre that happened during the 20th Century. Its original audience were horrified, shocked and appalled that Ibsen had questioned the unquestionable ideas held at that time about women: that they were the property of their husbands, that they could not exist without a man to guide them and that their most sacred duty was to be wives and mothers. I was a little amused but also encouraged by the audible and visible outrage expressed by the school students in the 2015 audience when Helmer gave voice to those views. (So things HAVE changed in the last hundred or so years!)

But to the production itself.  It was professional in every way: the set, costumes and lighting would not have looked out of place on the West End stage. But even more exciting (and what you often DON’T get in the West End) is that Rosemary’s directorial hand was clearly visible, providing a coherent vision to the whole thing. Wisely in my view, she did not stray far from Ibsen’s own directions for the play – after all, he had been a theatre director himself for many years and so knew what he was about. But her directorial decisions were most clear in the shaping of the characters because here, choices do have to be made.

In a way, the success of the play depends largely on the character of Nora. And Carly Halse did not disappoint. What delighted me was that at every moment I could see the thoughts behind the actions, which made her utterly convincing. The same can be said of Beverley Webster’s Mrs Linde - so the scenes they had together were electric in their intensity.

When all the cast were of such a high standard, it is invidious to single people out but I did enjoy the “love scene” between Mrs Linde and Krogstad (Bart Gamber), played with great truth and sincerity. And the tiny part of the maid (Thea Taylor) who showed us that she was a real person who as a servant had eyes and ears and knew exactly what was going on in the Helmer household!

The iconic scene is of course, the last one and between them, Rosemary and Carly got it exactly right with the school students, who once again, audibly and visibly, demonstrated that they thought Helmer had got what was coming to him!

A first rate production, which running at an unfashionable three hours in length, kept my attention every minute.

Ian Spiby

Former Head of Performance Studies

University of Northampton

Review by Neil Beardmore 

Who needs to spend piles of money to see classics in the West End – not to mention train tickets too – when you can see plays like A DOLL’S HOUSE in your own town at a fraction of the cost?  Don’t we realise in Milton Keynes that we have a highly professional company in Pepper’s Ghost who manages one slick production after another?  We must keep applauding the fact that Rosemary Hill’s troupe are keeping live theatre absolutely live and challenging locally and that to complete the picture we owe them our support.

A great play needs great acting to make it rise for us, and with this production we are not disappointed, tracing Carly Halse’s Nora from a ‘squander-bird’ and ‘song-bird’ sheltered and spoiled girl to a woman finding full control of her destiny.  Carly does this admirably by presenting at first a Nora who is over dramatic and childlike, making the transformation at the end to a sure and confident person facing the unknown the more powerful.  Allan Martin ably interprets the fumbling, hypocritical Torvald who ‘forgives’ Nora, yet we cannot ourselves forgive him or the male centred society he represents – a society whose bias towards the male Ibsen attacks.

Nor should we ignore the strong supporting cast: Beverley Webster gives us a convincing Mrs Linde, a woman who ironically starts out the counterpart of Nora, in that she is managing life alone.  Part of Ibsen’s fine craft is that he creates multi dimensional  characters who have real motives, even if they are described by other characters as ‘morally corrupt’ ; Bart Gamber gives us such a character as Nils Krogstad and allows us to see he has suffered and can be redeemed.  The play unfolds to us the idea that Truth cannot be hidden forever, and when it comes out it must change people irrevocably.  Victor Guse creates a believable Dr Rank, suffering almost Biblically as he does the sins of his father and Thea Taylor making her debut with Pepper’s Ghost shows a lot of stage presence: someone to watch on the rise.  Clever direction brings out something often omitted in ‘conservative’ and ‘safe’ productions: Ibsen’s canny use of ironic humour.

Each time Kevin Jenkins amazes us with his sets which are so subtly and artistically projected: here the pillars of the drawing room curve upwards to symbolise the cage that Nora is imprisoned in.  How often do you see a real grand piano on stage, and a period wood burner that we actually believe is too hot to touch?   This, with supportive lighting and stage management ensure a thorough interpretation of one of the greatest plays of all time, great because it is not bound by time or culture and will thus always be relevant.

Nothing is left to chance: in the foyer interesting research material about Ibsen and his times, along with amazing recent photos of Norway by Simon Raynor make us feel we have experienced what real theatre is all about: being entertained, excited and educated.  Another ten out of ten.

Neil Beardmore

Review 15th October by Alexander Lynch

Producer and Director Rosemary Hill takes her Pepper’s Ghost Theatre company presentation of Henrik Ibsen’s ‘A Doll’s House’ to Stantonbury Theatre.

From the daddy of realist drama a family tragedy unfolds where the characters are locked into a society where people are defined and confined by their gender. Set in Norway in 1879 over Christmas and New Year a visitation of events that would bring about a rebirth and new beginnings for all of the characters in some degree. It is about an awakening but it is a hard awakening and indeed some suffering. It is the values of that time that drives the play's central conflicts.

The set design is of course the first thing that greets your eyes as you enter the theatre. The set as designed by Kevin Jenkins wonderfully introduces the play as it encapsulates the life and times of those inhabiting the house within a wintery cage. The snowflakes decor for winter and the arches signifying a cage housing the skylark and squirrel called Nora. The set tells the story. Good one Kevin. Not forgetting the lighting by James Teal for the lighting of the hallway highlighting the glass letterbox suspending the damaging letter and especially for the flickering flames burning those letters.

Nora played by Carly Halse starts off as ‘dim but nice’, likes to spend, likes to flirt, and likes to keep a secret from her husband. She doesn’t like when her secret becomes known, she doesn’t like being blackmailed and above all else she doesn’t like being treated like a doll, a chattel, a plaything. She doesn’t like not being allowed to be herself. Her new year’s resolution is to go and find herself. Carly wonderfully portrayed Nora, the stamina the emotion told me she was Nora. As Nora she made me laugh, she irritated me she slowly pulled me into her world and left us with a tear. Carly is going to some wonderful places... watch her.

Torvald played by Allan Martin is a man of that period, he wallows in being the provider and protector of his family. He craves for the acceptance of the society of that time. He even says he would give his life for Nora his wife. That is until he discovers Nora’s secret and sees it as a betrayal. His anger that later turned to forgiveness to keep the family image intact at least in the eyes of society would in the end drive Nora away. Now Allan allowed me to like his character in the beginning, his tone his physicality made me warm to him. Then without changing Allan flipped the coin and that tone that physicality showed me the misguided person society allowed him to be. If I meet Allan in the street I shall pat him on the head.

Nils played by Bart Gamber says he wants to rehabilitate himself, from the life he was forced to lead. His actions however do not bode well when to save himself from Torvald’s treatment he reveals the secret that ties him with Nora. Reflecting upon his actions he releases Torvald and Nora from his influence but not the consequences of his revelation. As soon as Bart walked on stage I sat deeper into my seat and the bitterness in his voice made me watch him closely. All he needed was a clap of thunder and a bolt of lightning. But as with all the actors in this play Bart was toying with my emotions. Before long he had me on his side I’m sure from my seat way back I could see a tear when he recited his past and sought another chance.

Christine played by Beverley Webster was in love with Nils when they were both young but ‘sense’ prevailed and she married for security and to support her mother and brothers. No longer with the burden of marriage and family but feeling an emptiness in her life she visits Nora, a friend of old, and meets the love she gave up, Nils. Ever the pragmatist Christine persuades Nils to act in a way that helps her reunite with Nils but on her terms, a marriage of equal partners. Beverley showed her undoubted skill when she had that two hander with Bart and managed to make me think by her nuanced performance, even as I write, why she persuaded/manipulated Nils to act in the way he did.

Dr. Rank played by Victor Guse is somewhat of a philosopher and is enamoured by Nora and appears to be her confidant although he wants to be more. The good doctor reveals Nils’s seedy past to Nora and Christine. The Doctor is himself terminally ill. Victor made me smile as he played the ever optimist especially at that part where he thought he might just have a last fling with Nora, the last wish I suppose of a dying man. Victor’s job in this play was to join the dots and he did a great job. Book him for those dry comedic roles.

Anna-Marie was the nanny and she was played effectively by April Pardoe. Sometimes in a play there is one movement, one look that lingers in the memory and captures the play. That moment for me was when April in the second act was exiting after speaking with Norma where April opened the door, turned and gave a look that wrote the book.

Of course I can’t forget the quality performance of Helen the maid played by Thea Taylor and the other talent of the future Nora and Torvald’s three small children.

OK then the person who stole the show was the little girl played by Chloe or was it Florence who on her entrance called out ‘Daddy’... Torvald you should have listened.

Finally the costumes were wonderful; all I ask is when Bart is finished with his count me in.

The play is timeless and you should take the time to see it and talk about it.

Well done Rosemary and all the cast and crew the large audience showed their appreciation with hoops and hollers.

Alexander Lynch