Reviewed by Tony Annicone
GAMM’S 35th season opener is “A Doll’s House, Part 2” and what a wonderful opening show this is. Written by Lucas Hnath, it takes place 15 years after Nora leaves her husband and her three children in Henrik Ibsen’s 19th century drama “A Doll’s House.” The Ibsen show was also directed by Fred Sullivan at GAMM back in 2011. Nora is now a writer and returns to ask Torvald to help her out because a judge is demanding something from her. She arrives and meets with the nanny, Anne Marie, Torvald and her grown daughter Emmy. Nora has long conversations with all three of them at different times. Questions brought up include what would bring Nora back after 15 years and how would these three people receive her? Has she truly won her emancipation, what has it done to her pysche or does she need her family again? This show is about what would happen to Nora after we leave the 1879 “A Doll’s House” by Ibsen. Hnath’s show opened on Broadway back in 2017 and was nominated for 8 Tony Awards. Fred once again directs with a deft hand, eliciting strong performances from his four talented cast members.
Jeanine Kane delivers a tour de force performance as Nora. She never leaves the stage in this ninety minute show. Her interactions with her castmates are wonderful to behold. Nora questions and speaks with each of them. The problem is Nora has written books to help women leave their husbands like she did but one of them is a wife of a judge so he’s out to get Nora. He wants to make sure she’s divorced which is the impetus for her return. The set is a silouette of a house with one side painted black which is the outside and symbolizes that there has been a constant state of mourning the loss of Nora fifteen years ago. Her treasures and belongings were discarded years ago. When she enters the house the inside is completely white which symbolizes hope for her return to the family.
Nora first questions the Nanny, Anne Marie played brilliantly by Boston based actress, Debra Wise. Her comic expressions and disdain for Nora leaving her children is well done. As soon as Debra drops the first F bomb in the show, the audience realizes that this is not Ibsen’s “Doll House” to be sure. Her monologue to the audience is about how she raised Nora’s children for her. Steve Kidd reprises the role of Torvald that he played back in 2011. He is incredulous at the return of Nora. Torvald has been a very successful banker and Steve is very stoic and has great chemistry with Jeanine. He also speaks directly to the audience. Alison Russo shines as Emmy, the grown daughter who shows her disdain for her mother with pointed barbs and criticism of her mother’s abandoning the three children and her husband. Do any of these conversations that Nora has with the three people keep her back in the house she left 15 years ago? To find out whether Torvald, Anne Marie or Emmy are successful or not, be sure to catch “A Doll’s House, Part 2” at GAMM Theatre before time runs out.
A DOLL’S HOUSE PART 2 (12 September to 6 October)
1245 Jefferson Boulevard, Warwick, RI
1(401)723-4266 or www.gammtheatre.org
Why is the set apparently backwards? When the play opens and Nora is knocking on the door, she comes out from the inside onto the porch; and in the final scene, when she again slams the door, she leaves the porch and would seem to be entering the house. Very strange, or am I missing something?