Stephen Siddall, Henrik Ibsen: 'A Doll's House'

Stephen Siddall’s study of one of Ibsen’s most innovative plays

This discussion of A Doll’s House places it firmly in the context of nineteenth century European theatre, ‘novelty theatre’, and the society of Norway of its time. The book discusses responses to Ibsen, especially those of George Bernard Shaw and William Archer in London, and the relationship of the play to issues of theatrical censorship. (More modern treatments, like the remarkable ones by Ingmar Bergman and by Fassbinder, are also covered.) The character of Nora leads into a discussion of feminism, and her relationship with Torvald and the performance of the crucial tarantella is sensitively discussed.

Stephen Siddall

Stephen Siddall was Head of English at The Leys School in Cambridge for 31 years and has taught Shakespeare courses for university students and for the University of Cambridge International Summer School in Shakespeare. Between 1988 and 2005 he directed 15 Renaissance classic plays for The Arts Theatre, Cambridge and, more recently A Doll’s House and Waiting for Godot for the Horseshoe Theatre Company. He has also directed for BBC television and for the (open air) Pendley Shakespeare Festival. For Cambridge University Press he has written a student guide for Macbeth (2002), Shakespeare on Stage (2008) and Landscape and Literature (to be published in 2009)

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