Interview: Classical Theatre Company's Artistic Director John Johnston Talks A DOLL'S HOUSE

This month, Classical Theatre Company (CTC) presents A DOLL'S HOUSE, Henrik Ibsen's tale of a seemingly perfect married couple, Nora and Torvald Helmer, for whom appearances prove to be deceiving. Premiering in Copenhagen in 1879, Ibsen's play was a provocative critique of gender roles and ode to the importance of self-actualization. In this interview, BroadwayWorld.com talks to Classical Theatre Company Executive Artistic Director John Johnston about directing CTC's A DOLL'S HOUSE, Ibsen's meaning, and the play's controversial ending.

BroadwayWorld: Do you remember the first time you read Ibsen's A DOLL'S HOUSE? What were your first impressions?

John Johnston: Yes I do. I first read A DOLL'S HOUSE in a dramatic literature course my sophomore year at Boston College. To be honest, like most of the plays I had to read in school, I found it to be somewhat boring and dry. Of course, the problem is that plays are meant to be performed and not read. This has been one of the most reaffirming parts about producing plays at CTC. We've had countless responses from people who've said, "I had to read this play in school and I hated it, but I love this production so much that I want to go back and read it again!"

BroadwayWorld: In a previous interview with BroadwayWorld.com you said:

"We adhere quite closely to the words that each playwright or author wrote down because that is what has survived through the decades, centuries, and even millennia. Though, while our scripts would be considered conservative, I would say that our interpretation of the dramatic literature is more radical."

So I have to ask, what is your plan for A DOLL'S HOUSE, a play whose script is quite radical even today? What can we expect from the set and the staging?

John Johnston: Henrik Ibsen is considered the father of modern drama and one of the founders of the Realist movement. The idea was to create real, believable characters in real, believable situations and environments. We're going to take a different tack with it entirely. We are approaching this script as though they are Nora's memories - she is looking back on the events of the play and recalling them. So, like memories, the environment is very ethereal. Her recollections will be shaped by her experiences at the time. We will have very little structure on the stage - no solid walls, but instead sheets of gauzy fabric will be hung. It will have an almost Expressionist quality about it, as Nora's emotions will create the reality around her.

BroadwayWorld: People were so upset by the play's ending that Ibsen actually wrote a more palatable, alternate ending to A DOLL'S HOUSE. What do you think it is about the play's original ending (which of course, I'm sure you're doing) that still proves provocative for audiences?

John Johnston: I'd like to think that today's audiences are pulling for Nora as she makes her final decisions in the play. If we've crafted the production properly, her choices, though difficult, should be warranted. To a Victorian audience they were appallingly shocking, but today's sensibilities are somewhat more malleable to her plight. It's my hope that our audiences will see aspects of themselves reflected on the stage and can work to raise the awareness of and uplift both their own situations and those around them.

BroadwayWorld: In his lifetime, Ibsen downplayed the feminist reading of his text in favor of emphasizing the importance of self-discovery and self-actualization. How do you interpret his play?

John Johnston: The story is that of a woman making these discoveries, so it is feminist in specificity, but Nora's story is one that can be seen in any relationship and situation, regardless of gender. So, in that way - a general way - I agree with Ibsen that it is a humanist story and not solely feminist.

BroadwayWorld: Does A DOLL'S HOUSE pose any particular challenges for you as the director?

John Johnston: The script itself doesn't present a notable challenge, really. It's a straightforward play with complex, but graspable, characters. The challenge really lies in living up to audience expectations for A DOLL'S HOUSE. It is a cornerstone for modern drama that everyone in theatre schools around the world read. In many ways it is the HAMLET of modern drama. So, there is an unusual weight that comes with this particular play.

BroadwayWorld: Last question - why should Houstonians come out to see the Classical Theatre Company's production of A DOLL'S HOUSE?

John Johnston: Folks should come see this production because, while being a well-known play, it is very rarely produced locally. So it will be a rare chance to catch this seminal play. Additionally, those who may be familiar with the script, they will have an opportunity to see a classic play produced in a never-before-seen style.

A DOLL'S HOUSE runs February 3 through 21 at Classical Theatre Company, 4617 Montrose Blvd. $10 - $25. For more information, or to buy tickets, visit www.classicaltheatre.org.

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