Lucas Hnath’s daring continuation of Henrik Ibsen’s classic, A Doll’s House, is a modern gem, a truly marvelous play. Berkeley Repertory Theatre is currently playing Mr. Hnath’s Tony-nominated Best Play, A Doll’s House, Part 2, with a stellar four-person cast, and under the sturdy direction of Les Waters. Mr. Waters, a close colleague of Mr. Hnath, understands the comedy and rhythm of Mr. Hnath’s words, making this production an illuminating, intimate portrayal of the Nora-Torvald drama that picks up fifteen years after Nora’s shocking exit from her family.
(Mary Beth Fisher (Nora); Photo credit: Kevin Berne)
Mary Beth Fisher portrays Nora, the model to women taking charge of their marital bliss, with impressive delivery and astute patience. Mr. Hnath’s script ensures that audiences need not remember too much from Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, allowing each cast member to give nuance and personality to his and her character without needing to embody Ibsen’s original. Ms. Fisher’s Nora is a spitfire matron, a woman on a mission to get what she so desperately needs: Torvald to finalize their divorce. The stakes couldn’t be higher for Nora, as she has gone on to become a renowned writer, inspiring many women to walk out of their marriages, and children, as well. Ms. Fisher’s domineering conversation opposite a genial-yet-snarky Nancy E. Carroll as house maid, Anne Marie, and soft spoken John Judd as Torvald, are well-paced, full of deep-seated anger and motivation, while always maintaining a level of approachable empathy towards the injustice Nora faces in being such a stigmatized woman.
(John Judd (Torvald) and Mary Beth Fisher (Nora); Photo credit: Kevin Berne)
Ms. Carroll has some wonderful moments of cursing and berating Nora for the decisions she is making, none more volatile than figuring out a way to force Torvald to finalize the divorce. Ms. Carroll’s motherly approach towards Nora and Torvald is warm and caring, but not at the expense of her devastating portrayal of a housemaid who’s further along in her years and is a somewhat trapped by her upbringing, career choice, and dedication to Torvald’s family. Mr. Judd plays the long game with Torvald, a constant simmer of sadness and rage apparent from the moment he first sees Nora, to an epic explosion of passionate frustration when he obliges Nora’s wish, but isn’t able to reconcile the marriage. The chemistry Mr. Judd and Ms. Fisher have created sparks all the elements a marriage would contain, being an authentic depiction of this theatrically seminal couple. Nikki Massoud rounds out the cast as Torvald and Nora’s youngest daughter, Emmy. Ms. Massoud enters with a seemingly naïve and bubbly outlook on the world, when in fact she travels down a very smart, forward-thinking plot to ensure that her own interest regarding her marital future is kept intact.
(Nikki Massoud (Emmy); Photo credit: Kevin Berne)
A solid showing all-around, Mr. Waters’ helming is aided by Andrew Boyce’s near-bare but visually stunning scenic design. The action takes place in Torvald’s household, in the first room nearest to the door. With only a few chairs, a coat rack, and a table, these simple set pieces speak volumes when used within Mr. Waters’ staging. Yi Zhao’s lighting design is subdued and effective, especially when capturing the scene transitions and the actor(s) on stage reacting to what just happened and preparing for what’s to come. I urge you to run, not walk, over to Berkeley Repertory Theatre to satiate your curiosity as to what happened to this family fifteen years later. It is a living room drama you won’t want to miss.
Details:
A Doll's House, Part 2 runs through October 21st
Berkeley Repertory Theatre at the Roda Theater, Berkeley
