The Wild Duck - Softcover

Ibsen, Henrik

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0881454508 ISBN 13: 9780881454505

Publisher: Broadway Play Publishing, 2010

Synopsis

In celebrated playwright Richard Nelson's bold adaptation of Ibsen's classic, profound tragedy and surprising comedy combine to tell the story of the Ekdal family. Their peaceful lives are turned upside down when an idealistic family friend arrives. When the secrets unravel, powerful questions are revealed. From Richard Nelson's Introduction: "THE WILD DUCK is a play about family life twisted, bent, and knotted into perverse shapes. Everyone seems to have a lifetime's history with everyone else. Take just one character, Gregers Werle. There's his father with whom he has been estranged for many years, certainly since the death of his mother. There is Gina who as a maid helped look after the Werle house while Gregers' mother was dying; his mother accused Gina of have having an affair with Gregers' father. This we learn was untrue at the time, but prescient. Gina is now married to Hialmar Ekdal, Gregers' old friend from college. They have a daughter, Hedvig, who is most likely not Hialmar's but Gregers' father's and so is the half sister of Gregers. Hilmar's father was in business with Gregers' father. There was a business scandal and Hialmar's father went to prison, Gregers' father didn't. Gregers' father continues to dole out bits of money to both his old partner and his old mistress. There's Relling a drunken doctor who had fought with Gregers years before while they were both at the distant saw mill. And there's Mrs Sorby, who like Gina, used to be Gregers' father's housekeeper, but now is his mistress; she once was in love with Relling and may still be. And it goes on and on. This play is structured around learning these relationships and the various secrets attached to them, and thematically propelled by the question: is it better to know or not to know? 'Truth' is stood on its head, as we find ourselves rooting for lies and delusions. This is a very disorienting play. And, I believe, a very great one."

About this title

About the Author:

Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906) was a Norwegian playwright and poet whose realistic, symbolic and often con troversial plays revolutionised European theatre. He is widely regarded as the father of modern dram a. His acclaimed plays include A Doll's House, Ghosts, Hedda Gabler, An Enemy of the People and The Pillars of the Community. His centenary is celebrated in 2006. David Eldridge's plays include Summer Begins, Under the Blue Sky, Serving it up, A Week with Tony, Under the Blue Sky, M.A.D. and Incompl ete and Random Acts of Kindness (Royal Court, 2005). He adapted Festen which was a smash-hit in 2004 .

From the Back Cover:

Extensive materials for the study of the backgrounds and sources of the play are included. Among these transcripts sources of the play are included. Among these are transcripts of Ibsen's notes and jottings and early drafts, selections from Ibsen's letters as he worked toward the final version, and materials suggesting biographical sources. The critical essays and opinions give the student a wide variety of points of view from which to come to his own judgments of this important play.

About this edition

• Publisher: Broadway Play Publishing
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0881454508
• ISBN 13: 9780881454505
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 112