"Hedda Gabler", a modern drama

Review by Thissa Jayamanne

The latest production of Hedda Gabler, a masterpiece amongst the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsens' (1828-1906) was presented at the Elphinstone Theatre, Colombo on August 30, by the "Platform for Alternate Culture". It was held under the sponsorship of the Royal Norwegian Embassy.

Ibsen's works, attempts to depict art in reality and Hedda Gabler is a case in point, where the subtle but unpleasant reality of most feminine thinking which leads to sad and miserable happenings in the lives of several individuals in vividly depicted. The play also hints at certain social factors leading to the petrifaction of such thinking.

Hedda Gabler is a play involving seven characters of the upper middle class in the late 19th century in Europe. And the outer theme of the paly sounds somewhat like secular love.

Non-conformity and incongruency of thinking and behavioral patterns among individuals pave the way for complexities that have to be paid for in life.

To drive home the above ideas through this play, Ibsen utilizes seven characters including a newly wedded couple. In pursuit of unearned glory and recognition through a precious manuscript of Elfert Loveborg, Hedda Gabler's worthy present to the depressed author happens to be a handy pistol, with which the unlucky man shoots himself dead.

The victim had lost his manuscript in an unwholesome night trip. In spite of the unparalleled genius among some human beings, a few tend to violate the recognised norms and rules of decent life and make attempts to taste the forbidden fruit thereby ending up in colossal disaster. Elfert Loveborg's unfortunate and untimely end is a case in point.

It is interesting to note that Shasthri Mallawarachchi, the young director, who has chosen this play as his maiden production, commenting in his souvenir issued at the Premiere on August 30 as follows: "Producers and Directors influenced and thrilled by Ibsen's first play have never lost interest in the revised interpretations of Ibsen's. You do not meet any character alien to your life in this paly." (Hedda Gabler)"

Shasthri had been quite successful in maintaining the originality of the play, although it focuses on the society of 19th Century Europe.

Throughout the two and a half hour performance, the well attended audience expressed a very positive response indicating the inspiring success of the presentation.

Sarath Kothalawala (George Tesman), Kumara Abeywardana (Brack) and Ayasha Dissanayake (Thiya Elvisted) played their part in exceptional justification to the roles of the original text. Although Shasthri had retained the original Ibsenite nomenclature for all the characters the spectator did not show any unease in grasping the messages of their lines, except at a rare instance in which an actress failed in the desired articulation.