Chastain stars in A DOLL'S HOUSE On Broadway - Reviews & News Thread

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 2/6/23 at 9:48am

Academy Award® winner Jessica Chastain stars in this thrilling reinvention of Ibsen’s A DOLL’S HOUSE. Directed by Tony® nominee Jamie Lloyd, one of contemporary theater’s most revolutionary auteurs, and adapted by acclaimed playwright Amy Herzog, this new production makes freshly relevant a story that shocked audiences and brought forth a new era of theater.

Performances begin February 13 at the Hudson Theatre and the cast also includes Tony and Emmy Award nominee Arian Moayed as Torvald Helmer, Jesmille Darbouze as Kristine Lende, Tasha Lawrence as Anne-Marie, Michael Patrick Thornton as Dr. Rank and Grammy winner Okieriete Onaodowan as Nils Krogstad. The cast will also include Franklin Bongjio, Carey Rebecca Brown, Melisa Soledad Pereyra and Jose Joaquin Perez. 

The production will feature scenic design by Tony nominee Soutra Gilmour, costume design by Gilmour and Enver Chakartash, lighting design by Tony winner Jon Clark and sound design by Ben and Max Ringham. “A Doll’s House” will feature original music by Ryuichi Sakamoto and Alva Noto and choreography by Jennifer Rias. Frank Lombardi will serve as production stage manager with Brandon Allmon-Jackson as stage manager. General management will be provided by 101 Productions.

Updated On: 3/8/23 at 09:48 AM

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 2/6/23 at 1:23pm

FYI, regarding seating, the production uses a turntable, which makes for a very high stage.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn7bK2tuEYA/?hl=en

[blaxx]

Posted: 2/6/23 at 9:35pm

Good to know because the ticket prices are ridiculous.

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 2/9/23 at 9:37am

I doubt there will be a discount any time soon, but I am very interested in seeing this.

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 2/9/23 at 9:45am

There already is a discount. Code NORA on the Hudson website, and TodayTix also has some that you can select off the seat map.

Updated On: 2/9/23 at 09:45 AM

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 2/9/23 at 9:46am

TaffyDavenport said: "There already is a discount. NORA on the Hudson website, and TodayTix also has some that you can select off the seat map."

Really?! Thanks so much for the heads up, Taffy! <3 

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 2/9/23 at 9:54am

Any time!

[Ptero2]

Posted: 2/9/23 at 1:02pm

There's also $35 TodayTix digital rush tickets. 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 2/12/23 at 12:00am

Nora and Torvald Helmer are coming back home once again.

Previews for the first 21st-century Broadway revival of A Doll's House begin tomorrow (February 13) at the Hudson Theatre; opening night is set for March 9, and the limited run concludes June 4. 

“Nora Helmer, a childlike wife and mother accustomed to an existence built around her husband, Torvald, comes to confront the truth of her marriage, in Henrik Ibsen’s groundbreaking 1879 play.”

Who's going?

Updated On: 2/12/23 at 12:00 AM

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 2/12/23 at 12:06am

EDSOSLO858 said: "Nora and Torvald Helmer are coming back home once again.

Previews for the first 21st-century Broadway revival ofA Doll's Housebegin tomorrow at the Hudson Theatre; opening night is set for March 9, and the limited run concludes June 4.

“Nora Helmer, a childlike wife and mother accustomed to an existence built around her husband, Torvald, comes to confront the truth of her marriage, in Henrik Ibsen’s groundbreaking 1879 play.”

Who's going?"

Just a quibble, but “tomorrow” is Sunday for anyone not in the Eastern Time Zone, and the first preview is actually Monday. It's confusing because you often post right at midnight, so it would be helpful if you put the day and date of the first preview, instead of just "tomorrow."

Updated On: 2/12/23 at 12:06 AM

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 2/12/23 at 12:11am

TaffyDavenport said: "EDSOSLO858 said: "Nora and Torvald Helmer are coming back home once again.

Previews for the first 21st-century Broadway revival ofA Doll's Housebegin tomorrow at the Hudson Theatre; opening night is set for March 9, and the limited run concludes June 4.

“Nora Helmer, a childlike wife and mother accustomed to an existence built around her husband, Torvald, comes to confront the truth of her marriage, in Henrik Ibsen’s groundbreaking 1879 play.”

Who's going?"

Just a quibble, but “tomorrow” is Sunday for anyone not in the Eastern Time Zone, and the first preview is actually Monday. It's confusing because you often post right at midnight, so it would be helpful if you put the day and date of the first preview, instead of just "tomorrow.""

Helpful tip, Taffy — I have parenthesized the start-of-previews date here and will continue doing so for future Broadway preview threads. Thank you for your advice.

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 2/13/23 at 9:52am

Excited for reports from Nora's house today. :)

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/13/23 at 8:45pm

Photos posted show its a bare stage with no set and just actors sitting on chairs. 

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 2/13/23 at 8:49pm

How will she slam the door!

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/13/23 at 8:51pm

Maybe she’ll yell “slam!”

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 2/13/23 at 8:54pm

Very 90s.

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 2/13/23 at 9:05pm

Jordan Catalano said: "Photos posted show its a bare stage with no set and just actors sitting on chairs."

Sorry. Thought this was a bump for the A Doll's House, Part 2 thread. lol.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 2/13/23 at 9:18pm

Jordan Catalano said: "Photos posted show its a bare stage with no set and just actors sitting on chairs."

It makes me sad when expensive shows cheap out on sets  

 

[WldKingdomHM]

Posted: 2/13/23 at 9:44pm

She better slam that door or this is a no go ! 

[JoeW4]

Posted: 2/13/23 at 9:50pm

Bettyboy72 said: "It makes me sad when expensive shows cheap out on sets"

This comment is really bizarre to me.

Firstly, Jamie Lloyd is a director who tends to have very sparse sets, and yet, he's a highly regarded director nonetheless. Because there's more to good directing than expensive sets. His style has its own distinct, deliberate effect on the viewing experience.

Sure, it's possible that the inexpensive scenic design helped the show get investors, because it allowed or a more promising recoupment schedule. But that's very different from what you're implying. It's not like Jamie Lloyd asked for a massive set, and got turned out down by cheap producers.

Secondly, is ANYONE going to see this show for the sets? No, they're going for an A-list movie star in a famous play. That's what audiences are paying for, and that's exactly what they're getting.

And honestly, if audiences are getting a high quality product with a major draw, while the producers can ALSO keep capitalization costs low, then I say go for it. Broadway is a tenuous enough space, and few enough things are recouping. Plus, we could go all day listing off renowned Broadway shows/productions that had relatively sparse sets.

And I realize that, if this production gets bad bad word-of-mouth/reviews, people might say that this post "aged badly," But actually I still don't think that would negate my points. If the production is bad, it'll be because it's badly directed and/or badly acted. It won't be because of the lack of sets. EVEN IF, the lack of sets makes the production feel too cold, hollow, and thin - that can STILL be chocked up to bad direction, not cheapness.

Updated On: 2/13/23 at 09:50 PM

[RippedMan]

Posted: 2/13/23 at 10:09pm

Eh I disagree. I think a big production requires a certain director. I think of Sher who famously doesn’t like automation - and I as someone who loves seeing how the scenery moves and whatnot know going in I’m probably not going to be entertained by the staging.

I feel like it’s similar to the recent Betrayal. No set just turntables. I wish I had seen the Daniel Craig version prior because to me the story was lost. Like when I saw Doyle’s Sweeney. I could not tell you the plot because there was no time or place. It was more of a vibe or a mood but the stories were lost on me. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 2/13/23 at 10:24pm

And to add to JoeW's point: we don't know for certain that that's the set for the whole play. Perhaps a helicopter comes onstage in act two.

It's all about a director's vision. Some of the best nights of theatre we've all had have been bare-bones in their designs; similarly, some of the best nights of theatre we've all had have been immaculate physical productions. There's a time and place for each.

[JoeW4]

Posted: 2/13/23 at 10:34pm

RippedMan said: "Eh I disagree. I think a big production requires a certain director. I think of Sher who famously doesn’t like automation - and I as someone who loves seeing how the scenery moves and whatnot know going in I’m probably not going to be entertained by the staging.

I feel like it’s similar to the recent Betrayal. No set just turntables. I wish I had seen the Daniel Craig version prior because to me the story was lost. Like when I saw Doyle’s Sweeney. I could not tell you the plot because there was no time or place. It was more of a vibe or a mood but the stories were lost on me."

 

That's an entirely valid opinion (in fact I feel the exact same way about John Doyle). You're criticizing the artistic merit of the staging choices; you're criticizing how the staging affected the storytelling for you as an audience member - which makes perfect sense. And that's very different from attributing it to the producers "cheaping out," which is simply not what's happening.

 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/13/23 at 10:50pm

Reports are there is no door slam. 

[ardiem]

Posted: 2/13/23 at 10:52pm

Just got home after tonight's preview. There was some a technical stop involving the turntable (you'd never have been able to tell if not for the fact that they called it out). This is my first time seeing the piece in any form. The set is extremely barren and monochromatic - I assumed Ivo van Hove was involved until I checked the Playbill afterwards. The actors are similarly constrained in motion, which gives every moment they deviate from their positions or neutral poses added punch, and a moment at the end breaks all the rules. At the same time, I felt the minimalism to be too much - no different than listening to an audiobook. It might have helped had I sat closer in the orchestra level; from where I sat in the first row of the mezzanine, I couldn't really make out facial expressions well.

Photos, where you can see how far the stage is from the mezzanine in the second photo.

Updated On: 2/13/23 at 10:52 PM