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Plays 1990's |
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1997 The Summer in Gossensass One evening in 1891 two friends who are American actresses living in London, Marian Lea and Elizabeth Robins, sit amongst books discussing Ibsen, Norwegian culture, and its bohemian movement. They keenly discuss what they glean from the Munich reviews of Ibsen's new play, Hedda Gabler and look forward to the Danish reviews. They passionately talk over the reactions to Hedda and speculate upon why the reviews should be troubled and alarmed by Hedda. They understand Hedda to be an unusual modern woman, and speculate about her complex character, her motivations, and Ibsen's possible inspirations. They are joined by Elizabeth's brother, John. At dawn the following day when Elizabeth and John, her brother, are awake John says that a copy of Hedda Gabler in Norwegian is in London and that they can see it. He adds the bad news that the English production rights have already been granted and the lead role cast. Very upset at this setback to themselves putting on the London premier of Hedda Gabler the women become despondent. Two days later Elizabeth is translating into English from the Norwegian text. Marion arrives having been unable to watch rehearsals of the opposition's production but having removed from the theatre a few discarded pages of the play. The three friends become absorbed rehearsing from these translated pages where Hedda engineers the departure of Tesman so that she can be alone with Thea. As they rehearse they share their interpretations of Hedda's complex character and motivation intensely as representative of new ways women might live. Two weeks later the opposition's work for a London premier runs into translation and casting problems but with the involvement of David, an actor, and Lady Bell, who is interested in education and a friend of John, the friends pursue their aim of staging Hedda Gabler. John obtains the first published English translation of the play. They speculate about Ibsen's inspiration for the play when he stayed in Gossensass and renew their discussions of Hedda. Marion suggests that Hedda suffers from agoraphobia whilst David believes Hedda is suicidal and Marion agrees. The last scene of the play is acted as part of the London premier's opening night with John as Tesman, Marion as Mrs Elvstead, David as Brac and Elizabeth as Hedda. After the actors take their curtain calls Elizabeth moves forward and reads from a speech given 12th March, 1928 acknowledging the enduring power for women of Ibsen's plays. [Fornes directed Hedda Gabler at Milwaukee Repertory Theatre in 1995 as part of the 20th Anniversary production for the Women's Project and Productions. In their twenty years the Women's Project had produced ninety-seven main stage productions of plays by women and three hundred rehearsed readings.] See Directing for additional information, production photographs and link to additional photographs. From a second draft there was a further production in July 1995 at the Padua Hills Playwrights Festival, Los Angeles, California. In October 1995 the third draft received a reading at the Audrey Skirball Foundation, Los Angeles, California. Fornes directed this 1st and 2nd February 1997 for Women's Project and Productions.
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