Pillars of Society

“Critic’s Choice - Five Best Productions Nationwide”

“Pillars of Society was the play that put Ibsen on the international map, and the first to deal with the subjects we now think of as his own: narrow-minded hypocrisy, the effect of buried lies on the present, and the struggle for sexual freedom. Terje Tveit’s accomplished adaptation gives as much weight and emotional urgency as they must have had in 1877. Part of the success relies on the way the large cast is marshalled around the small stage, creating a powerful sense of provincial claustrophobia without ever cramping the space. [...] The central performances are simply outstanding. Matthew Rutherford is a model of quiet fear as the businessman Karsten Bernick who sees his world unravel around him, and Anouka Brook gives a complex, beautifully rounded performance as the emancipated woman who wants to hold a mirror to his self-deceptions.”

“Ibsen’s Pillars of Society is a dark comedy. However, thanks to an energetic production by the Dale Teater Kompani [Ibsen Stage Company], it shines brightly. The claustrophobic place of a Norwegian village provides the backdrop against which all the humour and tragedy of the story is played out. In the restricted space of the Rosemary Branch, the atmosphere created is particularly powerful, so much that the break was most welcome when it came. However after 15 minutes, the audience were keen to return for the final act. The performance is sometimes surreal, sometimes hilarious and always disturbing and intense. Director and translator Terje Tveit is clearly aware of the uncomfortable feelings evoked by this intensity and plays on them throughout. Particularly popular with the audience were the manic Mrs Lynge (Imogen Dobbs) and the arch Mrs Rummel (Rosalind Stockwell). Paul Hampton transforms himself from narrator and player to prop in a way that has to be seen to be believed. [...] Pillars of strength.””