It was an impulse thing. The opportunity to go see Hedda Gabler performed by Norway's National Theatre at the Kennedy Center came my way. It was another cultural experience for me. I didn't have to review it and it simply became a date night. My Mom is Swedish so I could use all the Scandinavian culture I can get.
I must admit I expected the production to be in English. It is the American that is prominent in me. However, as I thought about it I am glad it was in Norwegian. English speaking musicians and other performing artists go all over the world and perform in English, why shouldn't they be able to come hear in perform in their native tongue. It was the second performance in a year I have seen in a foreign language, though it didn't feel as exotic as the Burmese concert.
The actors performed well. I was happy for the subtitles, but they were late and missed a line or too. Plus I didn't stare at it and missed some of the dialog. The Washington Post didn't care for it, but Peter Marks did have some valid points. You can read his review here. I liked it more than him, but I wasn't blown away by it. My review wouldn't have been a review. However, I give them props for performing it and doing the Henrik Ibsen play their way. The academic crowd same to rave about it in the Q&A afterwords. So, I guess everyone perceives things in different ways.
Some little things I noticed. The charecters alll stayed around the stage even when they weren't in the scene. I thought that was strange. I liked the homorous introductions before hand and the simple lift the curtain start. It ewas one of Norway's Top Theatre Companies performing the work of one of Norway's and the World's famous playwright.
Below is a trailer for a film version of the play,,
I'll be back with another post soon on something I review...
I must admit I expected the production to be in English. It is the American that is prominent in me. However, as I thought about it I am glad it was in Norwegian. English speaking musicians and other performing artists go all over the world and perform in English, why shouldn't they be able to come hear in perform in their native tongue. It was the second performance in a year I have seen in a foreign language, though it didn't feel as exotic as the Burmese concert.
The actors performed well. I was happy for the subtitles, but they were late and missed a line or too. Plus I didn't stare at it and missed some of the dialog. The Washington Post didn't care for it, but Peter Marks did have some valid points. You can read his review here. I liked it more than him, but I wasn't blown away by it. My review wouldn't have been a review. However, I give them props for performing it and doing the Henrik Ibsen play their way. The academic crowd same to rave about it in the Q&A afterwords. So, I guess everyone perceives things in different ways.
Some little things I noticed. The charecters alll stayed around the stage even when they weren't in the scene. I thought that was strange. I liked the homorous introductions before hand and the simple lift the curtain start. It ewas one of Norway's Top Theatre Companies performing the work of one of Norway's and the World's famous playwright.
Below is a trailer for a film version of the play,,
I'll be back with another post soon on something I review...
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