HEDDA GABLER // MAY 5 - JUNE 9, 2024

 

“The beauty of this production, and Bentley’s performance, is that nothing is certain… ...It will be hard to erase Bentley’s haunting portrayal of this enigmatic woman from our minds.” — Toronto Star

THE COAL MINE THEATRE PRESENTS THE WORLD PREMIERE OF:

HEDDA GABLER

By Henrik Ibsen
A new version by Liisa Repo-Martell
Directed by Moya O’Connell

Hedda Gabler is a play written by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. The world premiere was staged on 31 January 1891 at the Residenztheatre in Munich. Ibsen himself was in attendance, although he remained back-stage. The play has been canonized as a masterpiece within the genres of literary realism. Hedda Gabler dramatizes the experiences of the title character, Hedda, the daughter of a general, who is trapped in a marriage and a house that she does not want. Overall, the title character for Hedda Gabler is considered one of the great dramatic roles in theater. The year following its publication, the play received negative feedback and reviews. Hedda Gabler has been described as a female variation of Hamlet.

CAST

  • DIANA BENTLEY

    HEDDA GABLER

  • NANCY BEATTY

    BERTA

  • ANDREW CHOWN

    EILERT LOVBORG

  • SHAWN DOYLE

    JUDGE BRACK

  • LEAH DOZ

    THEA ELVSTED

  • QASIM KAHN

    JORGEN TESMEN

  • FIONA REID

    JULIA TESMEN

CREATIVE TEAM

WRITTEN BY: Henrik Ibsen
A NEW VERSION BY: Liisa Repo-Martell
DIRECTED BY: Moya O’Connell
ORIGINAL MUSIC BY: Emily Haines

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: Daniel Williston
STAGE MANAGER: Tamara Protic
ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER: Alysse Szatkowski

SET AND COSTUME DESIGNER: Joshua Quinlan
LIGHTING DESIGNER: Kaitlin Hickey
SOUND DESIGNER: Michael Wanless
HEAD OF PROPS: Bill Corcoran
WARDROBE ASSISTANT: Ellie Koffman
PIANO SUPPLIED BY: Wayne H Ferguson
Registered Piano Technician, Piano Technicians Guild Inc

PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT PROVIDED BY: whatbywhen (WxW)
SUPERVISING PRODUCTION MANAGER: Wesley Babcock (WxW)
PRODUCTION MANAGER: Carlos Varela (WxW)
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR: Sebastian Marziali (WxW)
HOUSE TECHNICIAN: Lilian Adom

PRODUCER: Liza Hersh

  • Fiona Reid and Diana Bentley

    Photo by Elana Emer

  • Qasim Kahn

    Photo by Elana Emer

  • Diana Bentley

    Photo by Elana Emer

  • Diana Bentley and Shawn Doyle

    Photo by Elana Emer

  • Diana Bentley and Andrew Chown

    Photo by Elana Emer

  • Leah Doz and Andrew Chown

    Photo by Elana Emer

REVIEWS

"The beauty of this production, and Bentley’s performance, is that nothing is certain. To the end, the actor keeps us guessing about her motivations."

—Toronto Star

"Emily Haines composed a score specifically for this production, and it was as if the music took on a character of its own. Ominous and disquieting, the music embodies the inner workings of Hedda’s mind, taking us down the dark rabbit holes of her past and present." "Bentley is a terrifying and intimidating Hedda."

—A View from the Box