A Review of FSU's "Hedda Gabler"

By Peyton Carper on March 27, 2016

Florida State University’s production of the Norwegian theatre production Hedda Gabler puts an unexpected Southern Gothic twist on a European classic.

The play, written by Henrik Ibsen and first performed in Munich in January of 1891, follows a strong and independent daughter of a general as she struggles to adjust to married life. Upon returning from her honeymoon with her new husband George Tesman, Hedda Gabler hosts a myriad of townspeople in her beautiful new home in order to catch up on current events. An eerily friendly judge and an old acquaintance from school both pay frequent visits, and each character seems to be consumed with the presence of a mutual friend, Eilert Lovborg, who is visiting town for a while. As the relationship each character has to Lovborg is revealed, the narrative becomes more and more complex until the play climaxes and ends with a bang.

The role of Hedda is one of the most coveted in the theater world, and Cara Clough performed the feisty role admirably, combining just the right amount of subtle cruelty and undeniable charm. Though Hedda is a character to be disliked, Clough’s portrayal of her oddly draws the audience to her, and leaves them enamored with her without knowing why. Stephanie Escorza’s Mrs. Elvsted is a nervous woman, easily flustered and constantly fidgeting, but her dramatic upsets are not overdone. Steven Carter’s George Tesman, an oblivious man consumed with academia, is a rather vanilla but charming character, remaining optimistic and jovial in the face of difficulty. Alec Ruiz’s Judge Brack is slick and slimy all at once, with the kind of Southern charm you know is not to be trusted but that you just can’t help but fall for. Aunt Julia and Berte, played by Christine Hansen and Genesis Gates respectively, are helpful women with good intentions who are set in the background of the piece, yet the warm portrayals by their respective actors makes the audience with they were more involved in the narrative. Cecil Jennings’ Eilert Lovborg is a mysterious but inviting force, someone with a clearly troubled past that one might overlook because of his lovely nature.

The true beauty of this production, however, lies in the details. The costuming, spearheaded by Ariel Couture, is intricate and period appropriate, with brilliant use of color and style to define characters; the rather dull George wears frumpy and slightly ill-fitting earth tones, while the ferocious Hedda is decked out in rich red gowns throughout the show. Costume changes are subtle and keep with the color schemes assigned to each character, making slight variations in clothing style without making the outfits repetitive. Slight imperfections in wig applications were noticeable and a bit off-putting, but the stunning and elaborate clothing makes up for this malfunction and then some.

The lighting, designed by Adam Rose, was very subtle but extremely effective. The use of harsh orange light during moments of stress and the use of calm green light in times of sorrow or tenderness were very well designed, and the warm lighting used in the rest of the piece provided an inviting Southern atmosphere. The gradual and subtle transitions in light cause the audience to notice a change, but perhaps struggle for a moment in identifying exactly what has changed.

The drastic change in setting of this piece could have gone badly, but the combination of all the elements of this piece made it one truly worth watching. Hedda Gabler will be performed at The Lab Theatre until April 3rd.

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