(out of 
)Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler centers on a character that ranks among the greatest women of theatre. Hedda is alongside Ibsen's Nora, as well as Medea, Miss Julie and Lady Macbeth as being the classic roles every actress longs to include on her resume. This is a character study that delves into psychology in a way that was revolutionary for 1890. Hedda is a beautiful, intelligent and crafty woman raised in a tomboyish way by her father, a General, with expectations beyond what women were allowed before suffrage. Trapped into a loveless marriage by her fears of dwindling prospects and retaining her accustomed societal place, she now has a lot of time on her hands, and uses it to amuse herself, trying to gain control of those around her while avoiding being controlled. She manipulates her idiotic hubby, George Tesman, her past love, Eilert Løvborg, Eilert's current flame, Thea Elvsted, and the equally manipulative Judge Brack. Not being an expert gameplayer, and stuck in an age when women do not make the rules, she soon finds her machinations turning sour.
Ibsen's masterpiece, in what is considered to be its best translation by Rolf Fjelde, has elements of soap opera that helped to mask a certain amount of the depth of the piece to those in his time who could not handle it. It is this soap opera tinge that Director Matthew Wiener has chosen to play up, nearly making the first act into a parlor comedy. This is a ploy, though, and once the games sour, he allows the tragedy of the piece to kick in at high gear, swiftly driving the play to its inevitable conclusion. Unfortunately, to carry this first act idea across, he has cast the play in an odd way, changing George from stodgy old curmudgeon to young buffoon, George's Aunt Julie from meddling ox to loveable oaf, and worst of all, Hedda from scheming woman to willful brat. While these choices support Mr. Weiner's vision of a slow-moving, comical soap opera in Act One, they undercut the power of Act Two, which really doesn't kick into full gear until the fireplace grating is raised and Hedda commits her powerful symbolic abortion. Once she stokes the fires, though, the piece takes off. If only this could have been a gradual rise, rather than a bumpy start and swift conclusion.
New York actress Corliss Preston has been brought in to perform this tricky role. Unfortunately, Ms. Preston has not shown that it was necessary to make the search a national one. Hers is a spoiled child reading, and she is surprisingly upstaged by the wonderful local-actress-turned-LA-transplant, Molly Schaffer. It feels as though these two actresses should have been reversed in casting, since Ms. Schaffer seems more prototypically the stoically Norwegian beauty and just as capable of playing Hedda, and Ms. Preston better-suited for the long-suffering Thea. It is only at the close of the first scene of the second act that Ms. Preston finally commands the role, turning inward her destructive glances. Ms. Schaffer is wonderful throughout, towering over the rest of the cast in stature and power.
It is not Mark Collver's fault that he was miscast, though his changes of George's fears into childish tirades do little to help advance his role. Much better are Joël Maurice and Mark DeMichele as Eilert and Judge Brack. Mr. Maurice captures the reformed alcoholic and intellectual wonderfully, and despite a strange accent unparalleled by anyone else onstage, Mr. DeMichele was smarmily charming and devious in just the right amounts. Linda DeArmond and Julie Whelihan are solid in their roles, though Ms. DeArmond simply does not seem as old as Aunt Julie is supposed to be.
In what has become a trademark for Actors Theatre of Phoenix, the visual elements of the play avoid convention like a plague. Gage Williams' Scenic Design uses period furnishings and flooring, but creates a cage-like structure to define the walls and presents a photo montage of the three faces of Hedda that covers the back wall. Nowhere else is this split-personality of attitude reflected. Paul A. Black's well-designed lighting, Gro Johre's well-detailed period costuming, Jeff Ladman's Sound Design and Cat Dragon's Properties all stay conventional and concise.
The last scene of the second act, originally Act V of the play, is powerful and gripping, watching as Hedda's tower comes tumbling down with horrifying results. Before then, there are moments of brilliance, solid performances, and interesting choices. Does the end justify the means? It eventually worked for me, but this may not be the opinions of the couples I saw leaving during intermission. All I can say is hang in there, as this is not a slow-moving parlor comedy throughout, but eventually reaches the realms of dramatic tragedy.
Production Details:
Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen
Actors Theatre
of Phoenix
The Herberger Theatre Stage West, Phoenix
(602) 252-8497
January 28th - February 13th, 2000