"The Wild Duck" at TFANA

[MezzA101]

Posted: 9/16/25 at 6:00pm

https://www.vulture.com/article/a-rare-bird-returns-ibsens-the-wild-duck.html

[inception]

Posted: 9/16/25 at 7:34pm

This production will play the Shakespeare Theatre Company in DC when I'll be there in November. TodayTix has an exclusive deal on seats in the front row at that theatre for cheap.

 

[MezzA101]

Posted: 9/18/25 at 7:06am

In Brooklyn, Ibsen’s Tragedy of Truth-Telling

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-wild-duck-review-in-brooklyn-ibsens-tragedy-of-truth-telling-2c60068e?st=4oSETu

[MezzA101]

Posted: 9/18/25 at 3:47pm

Second review in the piece

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/09/29/art-theatre-review-the-wild-duck

 

[inception]

Posted: 11/16/25 at 8:42am

This didn't spark much interest here.  I think more people at the Talking Broadway board wrote about it, but I just lurk there.  Saw the matinee yesterday at STC & its final performance is today.  Some great acting from a few of the players,  especially the young girl.   The theme seems to be just mind your own business & don't be a busy body in other's affairs, people are better off not knowing sbout affairs etc.  I don't think Ibsen was so hot a psychologist.  He'd probably make for a great show runner on something Bachelor in Paradise etc.  If he could see reality TV he'd probably be kicking himself thst he didn't come up with it first.

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 11/16/25 at 1:37pm

inception said: "This didn't spark much interest here. I think more people at the Talking Broadway board wrote about it, but I just lurk there. Saw the matinee yesterday at STC & its final performance is today. Some great acting from a few of the players, especially the young girl. The theme seems to be just mind your own business & don't be a busy body in other's affairs, people are better off not knowing sbout affairs etc. I don't think Ibsen was so hot a psychologist. He'd probably make for a great show runner on something Bachelor in Paradise etc. If he could see reality TV he'd probably be kicking himself thst he didn't come up with it first."

I really enjoyed this at TFANA and I think Ibsen's body of work in general asks some interesting questions.  I think it's a bit reductive to say the theme is "just mind your own business", and I saw it more as a question of when to be completely ironclad in your morals.  The friend is so dedicated to the idea of total honesty that they don't have the foresight to see what kind of tragedy can come from that and that other people may in fact prefer to live their lives believing in a fantasy (and as a matter of fact might actually need it to be happy).  Honesty certainly seems to be a virtuous trait in general, but as with most circumstances, there's an added layer of complexity when applied to someone's actual life and circumstances.  You could even make the argument that the tragedy that happens at the end may also end up bringing husband and wife closer together (and I think it's implied that the friend sees this as a success).  It's also interesting to view the play in conversation with Enemy of the People, where the central theme WAS to tell the truth (even at personal cost).

One of the things that was also mentioned at the TFANA talkback was they ended up cutting lines at the end of the play (to their detriment imo).  They said they had them in previews and then decided to cut them but i don't think ever clearly exxplained why.  I think it does shift the meaning a bit for me as well, but these are the last few lines as written (I don't remember what the actual last line in this production was:

Relling. Ah! life might be pleasant enough all the same, if only we could be left in peace by those blessed duns who come worrying us poor folk about the claims of the ideal.

Gregers (looking in front of him). At any rate I am glad that my destiny is what it is.

Relling. I beg your pardon—what is your destiny?

Gregers (going). To be the thirteenth at table.

Relling. Devil a doubt of that!

[inception]

Posted: 11/16/25 at 2:24pm

Thanks for your comment.  I think Relling is correct though when he states that Ekdal is more likely to end up a drunk.  Statistically many couples who experience the loss of a child do end up separating. 

I didn't read the play in preparation. I liked how they chose to end it with Relling yelling at Young Werle.  I sympathized with Young Werle when he was dealing with his Father, but he would have been best to mind his own business when it came to the Ekdal family.  I felt like I saw a lot of myself in him, since I'm always gossiping about others when I'd be best to shut the F up.

Updated On: 11/16/25 at 02:24 PM