Anya Reiss's modern adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's classic play, A Doll's House, has opened at the Almeida Theatre in London, starring Romola Garai as Nora. The production transposes the 19th-century drama of proto-feminism into contemporary London, where Nora is the wife of a high-earning banker and recovering drug addict, Torvald, played by Tom Mothersdale.
Reiss's version retains the original plot's key elements: Nora's secret bailout of the household from financial ruin, blackmail by Torvald's colleague Krogstad (James Corrigan), and a visit from her old friend Kristine (Thalissa Teixeira). The update feels convincing, with references to Instagram, money, and a stock market affected by Middle East conflict. The sexual dynamics of the marriage are examined through the lens of class and contemporary capitalism.
The production, directed by Joe Hill-Gibbins, features a strong cast. Garai's performance as Nora, who relates to her husband and others through sexual frisson, is notable, though her character's intelligence sometimes clashes with her use of her body as currency. The play explores the performance of marital roles and the concealment of true selves, but this can feel awkward at times.
The drama builds to a confrontation between Nora and Torvald about the conditionality of their love, tied to material acquisition. Reiss suggests a more complex version of female autonomy than Ibsen's original, hinting at a future where the couple might attend couples therapy. The adaptation is ambitious and inspired, though occasionally weighed down by its intersectional ambitions.
