Review: A DOLL'S HOUSE, PART 2 starring Bianca Amato and Zane Meas is brilliant

That's right, there's a part 2! And it is excellent. Written by American playwright and author Lucas Hnath and debuting in 2017, A DOLL'S HOUSE, PART 2 is quite literally the story of what happens after the end of Henrik Ibsen's classic. I want to say a big thank you to The Quickening Theatre Company for bringing this production to South Africa because I thoroughly enjoyed it.

A DOLL'S HOUSE - the original from 1879 by Henrik Ibsen - is an extremely thought-provoking and provocative play. Still, today, the themes and storyline resonate with audiences. You have Nora and Torvald, a couple stuck in a marriage that seems to serve only the husband. Nora is drowning, not knowing who she is or what her worth is as a human. At the end of the play, she takes a drastic step and leaves her husband, her children and her home behind. To some, she is a strong feminist icon. To others, she has done the unthinkable in leaving her children behind. Either way, she did what she felt she had to do before she completely disappeared into nothing.

A DOLL'S HOUSE, PART 2 picks up the story 15 years later. Nora has returned to her home to get the only thing she still needs from Torvald - a divorce. In coming home, she and those in the home are forced to confront what happened 15 years earlier and what their lives have looked like in the space between then and now. Let me tell you - it's a rollercoaster of emotions that span screaming and tears all the way through to belly laughs.

It's always fascinating to see what happens after the story, after the big climax is reached and a resolution has been made. Life is never that simple and I love getting a glimpse back into the lives of these dynamic characters. Hnath's script is excellent. And this cast is wonderful too. It's an absolute tour de force by Bianca Amato as Nora, with the other three performers (Zane Meas as Torvald, Charlotte Butler as Anne Marie and Simone Neethling as Emmy) providing excellent foils in their characters. There were just a few moments - from all the actors - where I felt jolted out of the reality of the piece by a very modern-looking body movement. Those movements are completely natural to us today, but didn't fit with the setting and costumes.

Speaking of - the staging from director Barbara Rubin is wonderful too. Just four chairs being purposefully placed and used by the actors to create tension, status and added levels for the drama. I particularly enjoyed the scene of Emmy regularly offering Nora a seat as they stalked each other around the stage. One gesture with the hand said so much about the characters and their place in this home. The costumes were also perfectly period and it was great to see Nora and Torvald become less and less prim and proper as the story unravelled.

A DOLL'S HOUSE, PART 2 is a must-see (even if you've never seen or read the original) and it's on at the Baxter until 10 May. Tickets are available via Webtickets.

South Africa Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. JOSEPH (Theatre on the Bay)

41.3% of votes

2. MY FAIR LADY (Artscape Arena)

25.6% of votes

3. THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW (Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre)

19.6% of votes

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