A Doll's House A New Version by Frank McGuinness

by Ibsen, Henrik; McGuinness, Frank; Barslund, Charlotte

• ISBN13: 9780571191291
• ISBN10: 0571191290
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1997-02-27
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Summary

Nora Helmer, wife to Torvald and mother of three children, appears to enjoy living the life of a pampered, indulged child. But as her economic dependence becomes brutally clear, Nora's acceptance of the status quo undergoes a profound change. To the horror of the bewildered Torvald, himself caught in the tight web of a conservative society which demands that he exert strict control, Nora comes to see that only possible true course of action is to leave the family home. Frank McGuinness's version ofA Doll's Housereceived its London premiere in October 1996 and opened on Broadway in 1997, where the production won four Tony Awards. Norwegian playwrightHenrik Ibsenwas born in 1828. His plays includePeer Gynt(1867),A Doll's House(1879),Ghosts(1881),An Enemy of the People(1882),Hedda Gabler(1890), andThe Master Builder(1892). He died in 1906. Frank McGuinnesswas born in Buncrana, Co. Donegal, and now lives in Dublin, where he teaches at University College. His plays include:The Factory Girls(1984),Baglady(1985),Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme(1985),Innocence(1986),Carthaginians(1988),Mary and Lizzie(1989),The Bread Man(1991),Someone Who'll Watch Over Me(1992),The Bird Sanctuary(1994), andMutabilitie(1997). His translations include Ibsen'sRosmersholm(1987),Peer Gynt(1988), andHedda Gabler(1994); Chekhov'sThree Sisters(1990),Uncle Vanya(1995); Lorca'sYerma(1987); Brecht'sThe Threepenny Opera(1991); and Ostrovsky'sThe Storm(1998). Nora Helmer, wife to Torvald and mother of three children, appears to enjoy living the life of a pampered, indulged child. But as her economic dependence becomes brutally clear, Nora's acceptance of the status quo undergoes a profound change. To the horror of the bewildered Torvald, himself caught in the tight web of a conservative society which demands that he exert strict control, Nora comes to see that only possible true course of action is to leave the family home. Frank McGuinness's version ofA Doll's Housereceived its London premiere in October 1996 and opened on Broadway in 1997, where the production won four Tony Awards. "A triumphantDoll's House. . . thrilling."John Lahr,The New Yorker "A wonderfully loose-limbed adaptation."The New York Times "Superb . . . This is a play very much for today. Frank McGuinness's sprightly and spirited new version secures its place as a truly contemporary masterpiece."Mail on Sunday(London)

Author Biography

Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen was born in 1828. His plays include Peer Gynt (1867), A Doll's House (1879), Ghosts (1881), An Enemy of the People (1882), Hedda Gabler (1890), and The Master Builder (1892). He died in 1906.

Frank McGuinness was born in Buncrana, Co. Donegal, and now lives in Dublin, where he teaches at University College. His plays include: The Factory Girls (1984), Baglady (1985), Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme (1985), Innocence (1986), Carthaginians (1988), Mary and Lizzie (1989), The Bread Man (1991), Someone Who'll Watch Over Me (1992), The Bird Sanctuary (1994), and Mutabilitie (1997). His translations include Ibsen's Rosmersholm (1987), Peer Gynt (1988), and Hedda Gabler (1994); Chekhov's Three Sisters (1990), Uncle Vanya (1995); Lorca's Yerma (1987); Brecht's The Threepenny Opera (1991); and Ostrovsky's The Storm (1998).

Table of Contents

"A triumphant Doll's House . . . thrilling."-John Lahr, The New Yorker

"A wonderfully loose-limbed adaptation."-The New York Times

"Superb . . . This is a play very much for today. Frank McGuinness's sprightly and spirited new version secures its place as a truly contemporary masterpiece."-Mail on Sunday (London)