Nora - A Doll's House
Nora - A Doll's House by Stef Smith after Henrik Ibsen, was directed by Jan Rae, assisted by Tracy Brook. It was performed at the Jack Studio, Brockley from Tuesday 1st April to Saturday 5th April 2025
Cast
NORA (2018) Charlotte Holmes
NORA (1968) Bethan Coulbeck NORA (1918) Leo McNabb
THOMAS Mark Kelleher
CHRISTINE (2018) Phoebe Morgan
CHRISTINE (1968) Kate Boydell CHRISTINE (1918) Rebecca Dallaway NATHAN Peter Tilly
DANIEL George Brooke-Smith
Creatives
Director Jan Rae
Assistant Director Tracy Brook
Choreography Chloe Penfold
Stage Manager: Elizabeth Holden
Assistant Stage Manager: Elise Sorenson
Wardrobe: Judy Douglas
Lighting Design: Matt Owen
Sound Design Nick Duqemim
Photography: Philip Gammon
Poster Design: Chloe Penfold Emily Lamm
NORA - A DOLL'S HOUSE REVIEW
by Gill Daly
Ibsen’s A Doll’s House aroused huge reaction when first performed, audiences being appalled at traditional marriage being questioned and Nora’s abandonment of her children. Stef Smith’s play, by presenting us concurrently with three separate Noras in 1918, 1968 and 2018, offers a new perspective to Ibsen. The core narrative remains the same. It is Christmas. Nora is trapped by secrets and controlling husband Thomas (played in all three eras by Mark Kelleher) and feels disconnected from her children. Nora is Thomas’s possession, his little songbird in a metaphorical cage. But she feels she has become his “doll wife”.
918 Nora (newcomer Leo Mcnabb) celebrates the ability to vote, while seeking pleasure from previously rationed sugar. There are shades of Gaslight (“You’ve been much better at keeping yourself calm lately”) but Thomas’s controlling behaviour would have been far from shocking at the time. For this Nora, divorce and custody of her children would have been impossible. 1968 Nora (Bethan Coulbeck) marvels at the contraceptive pill, but there is no liberation for her, and her ability to cope relies on pills of a different kind. Divorce through irretrievable breakdown is still a year away. Her Thomas, an inadequate who feels undermined by the swinging 60s, regards her as his “little prize”. 2018 Nora (Charlotte Holmes) is of a generation that has ostensibly won the earlier battles for equality, but she still needs alcohol to get through the day. This Nora should have a chance of independence through work. She could show cause and gain custody, but is clearly broken by Thomas’s coercive control.
Into this scenario walks Norah’s old friend Christine (1918 Rebecca Dallaway, 1968 Kate Boydell and 2018 Phoebe Morgan) who, having “lost her man” and her mother is searching for work. She alone among the women is free, despite financial worries, but is still not leading a full life.
But the offer of a job for Christine at Thomas’s bank threatens that of Nathan (Peter Tilly throughout) with whom she had a past relationship, and who in turn threatens Nora with his knowledge of the fraud she committed to support Thomas during an illness. Christine persuades him to change his mind, but by then Thomas has made clear to Nora that he would never sacrifice his honour or his pride for a woman, even though “every day women sacrifice it for men”. And caught up in this is Daniel (George Brooke Smith throughout), faithful friend to Thomas who, nevertheless turns to Nora when he learns he is terminally ill.
Huge credit must go to the entire cast and Jan Rae as director, because this is a tough play, and I don’t think Stef Smith makes it easy for any of them. Ibsen’s original delivered an intense emotional blow through one focused storyline and Nora’s final door slam as she leaves. Splitting the central character, and their outcomes, could have fragmented that impact in less capable hands. The actors had sometimes to convey complex psychological states within the scope of very few words, with very little room to flesh out all the supporting roles. Yet every one of them maximised the lines given to them.
Matt Owen’s lighting design work very effectively with Nick Duquemin’s soundscape design, particularly the heartbeats during the monologues and, together with the simple set allowed the actors the necessary distraction-free setting.
All three Noras walk away from Thomas, into the cold. 1918 Nora choses freedom by lying down in the snow and closing her eyes. 1968 Nora goes to Christine, and the discovery of mutual love. 2018 Nora realises she has nowhere to go in austerity Britain and returns to Thomas.
Ibsen was said to have been outraged when the ending in the German version made it appear that Nora had stayed with Thomas. It is to the credit of this excellent cast that I was left instead with many unanswered questions, but also with a sense of profound sadness.
