Theatre UCF’s production of Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler – a spellbinding drama of revenge, manipulation, sexual repression, deceit and despair – will run Thursday, March 23 through Sunday, April 2.
Kate Ingram, the show’s director said she along with the cast and crew are working to “take the dust covers off and look at the play with new eyes – without the prejudice of seeing it as a museum piece set in the 1890s.” She also touches on the piece’s relevancy to modern-society through themes such as alcoholism, bullying, suicide, guns in the home, unwanted pregnancy, fake judiciary in courts of law, and turning our gaze away when what we see doesn’t match what we want to see.
In her new marriage, Hedda struggles with an existence she finds devoid of excitement and enchantment. Her only solace is in manipulating the people around her, frequently pitting them against one another. Hedda Gabler is recognized as a classic of realism theatre, and the title character is considered one of the greatest fictional roles in dramatic history.
Victoria Gluchoski, who plays the title character, said of her big role that “thankfully the excitement about the work exceeds the pressure each time I get back to the script.”
Gluchoski credits her acting training at Theatre UCF with equipping her and her fellow actors to be able to connect with one another onstage. She hopes audiences will find Hedda to be a relatable individual, and sympathize with the struggles that can cause such actions in those who appear unstable on the surface.
The show will be performed in the Theatre UCF Black Box. On opening night, audience members are invited to join the cast and production team for a post-show reception.
Tickets are available for $20 to the general public, and $10 to those with a valid UCF identification card. They can be purchased online at www.theatre.cah.ucf.edu, by phone at 407-823-1500 or at the box office on campus.
For more information about Theatre UCF and the UCF School of Performing Arts, visit www.performingarts.cah.ucf.edu.
Production at a glance:
Hedda Gabler
By Henrik Ibsen
A new adaptation by Jon Robin Baitz
From a literal translation by Anne-Charlotte Hanes Harvey
Directed by Katherine Ingram
March 23, 24, 25, 29, 30, 31 and April 1 at 7:30 p.m.
March 26 and April 2 at 2 p.m.
A post-show reception will immediately follow the March 23 performance.