A Doll’s House provides much food for thought

Surrounded by scandal, when it was first staged in 1879, ‘A Doll’s House’ now serves as a reminder of how far our society has come in 150 years towards recognizing women’s rights. For a modern audience, it is quite disturbing to be transported into the life of Nora Helmer.

Rebecca Lennon does a magnificent job of creating a believable and empathetic Nora: as well as her emotive delivery of key lines, her body language speaks to us and engages our sympathy throughout the play. Kevin Wilson is her perfect foil: while Nora paces and twitters, Kevin’s Torvald is staid, still and superior.

The sinister Krogstad, an employee at the bank, which has just promoted Torvald to manager, fears – correctly – that he is about to lose his job and comes to ask Nora to plead for him to her husband. When she refuses he turns to blackmail. Philip Barker encapsulates Krogstad’s harsh attitude excellently – but, as it turns out, he has his own past which is about to catch up with him.

Nora’s friend, Kristine, has had a hard life, too, and Nessa Law is perfectly cast: she skilfully depicts the character’s surface cheer, masking the sadness of an empty marriage and family burdens. And when Kristine sees Krogstad, she is reminded of the possible happiness she turned away. Supporting cast includes Dr Rank, played by Martin Stanley, who depicts the old man’s physical frailty well, and nursemaid, Anne-Marie, a delightful cameo by Carolyn Ferguson.

Congratulations to director, Amanda Robertson, for bringing this classic yet still relevant play to the stage at Trinity Theatre, and providing an entertaining evening and so much food for thought.