A DOLL'S HOUSE to Play the Baxter in March

Henrik Ibsen's all-time classic play, A DOLL'S HOUSE, adapted and directed by one of South Africa's most exciting young directors, Standard Bank Young Artist winner Christiaan Olwagen, comes to the Baxter Theatre stage for a short season. The production received a highly acclaimed modern makeover for its debut at the 2015 National Arts Festival where it was sold-out and received rave media reviews.

Olwagen has assembled a stellar cast featuring Jennifer Steyn (Nora Helmer); Martin le Maitre (Torvald Helmer); Dawid Minnaar (Dr Rank); Anthea Thompson (Kristine Linde) and Rob van Vuuren (Nils Krogstad), to bring this theatre classic to life. Set design is by Rocco Pool, costume design is by Birrie le Roux, sound and music is by Charl-Johan Lingenfelder, with lighting design by Wolf Britz and choreography by Ina Wichterich.

A DOLL'S HOUSE is a psychological thriller about partnership and power, marriage and money, love and lies. The story focuses on Nora Helmer who seems to have it all: a successful husband, a loving family and a beautiful home. But the arrival of an unexpected visitor threatens to expose a secret and unravel her seemingly perfect life.

The play's themes still resonate intuitively in today's contemporary society, 137 years since it premiered. Circumstances may have changed since Ibsen's day, but people have not, and it is not difficult to imagine, in today's age, the tale of a willful doll-wife who beguiles her man into giving her what she wants and a doting but condescending husband who sees his woman as an accessory.

A DOLL'S HOUSE is still being staged throughout the world. Its universal and controversial themes and complex characters ensure it remains relevant even today. In giving A DOLL'S HOUSE a contemporary setting, Olwagen honours the complexity of Ibsen's Nora and allows us to ponder about why the play became a classic in the first place.

Olwagen's previous productions include WOZA ANDRIES? - an appropriation of the play WOZA ALBERT! - which toured nationally to great acclaim and won him the Rosalie van der Gucht Award for Best Director at the Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards; DOGMA, which won two Kanna Awards for Best Production and Best New Production; and DIE SEEMEEU, which has been nominated for eight Fleur Du Cap Theatre Awards this year. Olwagen also wrote and directed the screenplay for the short film TOEVLUG in 2013, which won Best Screenplay, Best Director and Best Short Film at the KykNet Silwerskermfees. Following this, he directed WIE'S BANG VIR VIRGINIA WOOLF, an Afrikaans translation of the Edward Albee classic.

A DOLL'S HOUSE opens on 15 March at 10:30 and runs until 24 March, with matinees on 17 March at 11:00 19 March at 14:00. There is an age restriction of 14 years, with parental guidance advised owing to language and sex. Tickets range from R130 - R150 and booking is through Computicket online, by phone on 0861 915 8000 or at any Shoprite Checkers outlet. For discounted corporate, schools or block-bookings, charities or fundraisers, contact Sharon Ward on 021 680 3962 or Carmen Kearns on 021 680 3993.

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