Review: A DOLL'S HOUSE, Theatre of Europe, 12 November 2016

With their new season of site-specific work, Theatre of Europe have achieved the almost impossible: an original take on the world's most-performed play, Ibsen's A Doll's House.

Each of the company's performances takes place in a different - and real - London home. It's important not to provide too much detail and so spoil the production's secrets, but the result of this somewhat covert operation is not at all what one might expect from an evening of Ibsen. It is, though, immensely interesting.

More conventional productions of A Doll's House tell the story of Nora and her husband, Torvald. Married to a possessive but loving man, Nora brings beauty, frivolity and joy to Torvald's life, and seems to do so gladly. As the play progresses, though, both the audience and Nora herself become increasingly aware of the marriage's problems. The pair's struggle to recognise and rectify this inequality made the play extremely controversial in the late 19th century, and its statement still rings true.

However, this is absolutely not a performance of Ibsen's script. Instead, what Theatre of Europe have created is an innovative and fascinating experiment in performance, suggestion and observation, stimulated by Ibsen's wonderful story and ideas. For the theatregoer who's ready to see something original and different, this production is absolutely worth your attention.

Cassie Raine, Ben Samuels and Jamie Zubairi lead the cast with great skill. Samuels especially shone with his endearing use of comedy; his energy was consistently uplifting and involving, without ever seeming forced. Raine played off him beautifully, with her sensitive and intelligent performance. She and Zubairi also succeeded in vamping up the atmosphere to ridiculous heights - Zubairi's dancing was surprisingly wonderful considering his otherwise subtle performance. Both the production's hosts, Sophie and Simon, deserve a mention for the open-mindedness and bravery with which they opened their home.

Sitting somewhere between (what was once revolutionary) naturalism, immersive theatre and the more appealing elements of reality television, this production is certainly intriguing. Its ideas will undoubtedly be taken on by many others - with good reason.

A Doll's House is at various London locations (disclosed the day before each performance) on 18 November and 2, 3, 9 and 10 December 2016

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