A Doll's House review, Duke of York's Theatre

There are three stars in the Young Vic production of Ibsen's, A Doll's House: Hattie Morahan as Nora Helmer, Ian MacNeil's breathtaking revolve set, and a live baby who remains serene while being dandled during a scene starring the Helmer children. Indeed, the Helmer home and home life appear so idyllic, it's hard to accept that all is not as it seems; that Nora is about to be exposed for a financial fraud perpetrated at the beginning of the marriage, to fund her husband Torvald's cure from illness. When the serpent enters this particular garden, he is in the guise of the moneylender, Krogstad.

A doll's grouse

It's Christmas Eve and Nora has cajoled the dull but gorgeous Torvald (Dominic Rowan) into gifting her money towards her secret debt, when an act of kindness to an old friend leads Krogstad to blackmail her.  Over the next 48 hours Nora's life is turned on its head. When Krogstad writes to Torvald with the truth, she is forced to reassess her whole life. The glory of A Doll's House is the unexpected radicalisation of Nora at the moment the truth is revealed. Torvald, disgusted, makes a series of fairly standard threats, but when disaster is averted, tries to rationalise his wife's actions. He does this by turning them into a function of her childlike ignorance and in doing so, denies the risks she took, and the sacrifice she'd been willing to make, to save his life.

Simon Stephens' version of Ibsen's classic is better at establishing the doll like nature of Nora, than showing the internal struggle that informs her transformation at the end.  Morahan is so convincing- frozen and drooling with fear - it almost doesn't matter, but her moment of feminist triumph is here catalysed by emotion, not intellect. Rowan's Torvald is more bluster than muster, and their physical relationship feels untutored for people who've made several children.

In conclusion: Carrie Cracknell's fluid and elegant production has transferred well from The Young Vic to the Duke of York's, though it feels odd looking up into the Helmer's house rather than across or down. The set is a winner, the cast is terrific, and there's plenty to keep you watching with a final exchange that's pure Eastenders.

References:
Duke of York's, Tickets


Duke of York's Theatre, St Martin's Lane, London WC2N 4BG     Run ends 26 October