Reviewed by Elana Luo
The Attic Collective brings Patrick Marber’s adaptation of Ibsen’s HEDDA GABLER to the Broadwater Main Stage at Fringe this year. The ensemble of seven actors dance around one another, playing out the 132-year-old story of a woman discontent with her life and marriage and the devastating way that intersects with her husband’s rivalry with another academic.
With a minimalist set featuring lineups of cardboard boxes and a bright pink neon sign hanging in the backdrop, this version of Hedda may look different on the surface. The characters are all dressed in modern casual or business casual outfits. But despite all of the modernizing elements, this production retains the desolation of Ibsen’s classic play, perhaps coming across even more despondent than usual due to the juxtaposition. The familiar elements are of course present, from General Gabler’s pair of pistols to Hedda’s upright piano. The play moves quickly, with the actors picking up their cues almost before the other has finished speaking. Occasionally, the bleakness turns monotone, but the “big” moments of the play are satisfyingly dramatic. The ensemble is adequate, and Tyler Bremer’s performance as Lovborg is notable.
If you’re looking to see a classic at Fringe this year, this production is a decent offering. The story is realized in a new, scrappy frame, but remains tragic as ever.
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