THE 1041C Theater Reviews

It was my third time in the Engelman Recital Hall, and as I went in, I felt a rush of expectation. I expected something similar to what I had experienced the other times I had been there- something formal, cold and one-sided, something, in a way, stiff. However, what I ended up getting was completely different. The BPAC’s production of Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, was refreshing, and entertaining to watch but, being a staged reading, it had its limitations on resources and that certain “wow-factor”.

Upon entering the Recital Hall, we were greeted by the stage manager and director, Christopher Scott, who cut the cold mood of the recital hall by addressing us, the audience, directly and even cracking jokes. I appreciated this demolition of the Fourth Wall that was also evident in other parts of the play. However, I did not think he made a good narrator. I felt that he could have given more interest to his lines and “acted” them more. I understand that his lines were simple and mildly significant, however, the apathy with which he said lines such as “the doorbell rings” made me shockingly aware of the lack of the doorbell, if that makes sense.

The acting was very good. The actors were believable. None of them overacted, or lost the character at any point of the play. I especially admired the skill of Antoinette LaVecchia, who played the main character, Nora. From beginning to end, she radiated a certain air of sincerity and honesty — it was not hard to imagine that she really was the character she played. I think it would have been very easy to fall into the trap of exaggerating the character of Nora, but Antoinette LaVecchia carried through the play with ease, and with grace.

On the stage and props, I must say that I was not impressed. Actually, I may even say that I was disappointed. The previous play that I had seen in the BPAC, Medea, had made good use of the stage and of props. In Medea, the characters came in and out of the two side doors, and the actors made use of props like the masks, the hairpin and different colored sashes. I was so intrigued by this creative, and strategic, use of simple props, that I expected a similar resourcefulness in the production of A Doll’s House. Unfortunately, it failed to be at par with Medea. It was disillusioning to see the actors sitting down, as the actors, within plain view. They would exit the scene happening in the center of the stage, turn 90 degrees, and sit down at the back. That made it difficult to concentrate on what was happening in the center of the stage, the main scene.

Overall, I was pleased with the production. I liked that I did not feel like a part of an audience watching actors act, but a part of the scene and of the play itself. A Doll’s House was not able to transcend the fact that it was a staged reading. It certainly could have been helped by some strategic use of resources available around the stage, but as it was, it was good.