Vildanden

Ibsen’s classic about living an illusion to stay alive

Emil Graffman directs one of Ibsen’s most beloved plays, Vildanden (The Wild Duck), about the Ekdal family whose happiness is crushed by a passionate truth-teller. Should you really strip a person of their illusions?

In the Ekdal home, life goes on as usual. The family avoids thinking about the fact that things just didn’t work out the way they hoped and dreamed. Instead, they spend as much time as possible with their pet, an injured wild duck.

They live a happy life together, not without problems, but full of love. Everything suddenly changes when a friend from the past makes a visit. What others experience as happiness, the friend sees as falsehood. In his eyes, the wild duck is symbolic of the family trapped in an illusion, and he makes it his duty to make sure they see the truth. But the truth is an unbending weapon that can swing in the wrong direction.

Previously at Göteborgs Stadsteater (Gothenburg City Theatre) Emil Graffman has directed Fröken Julie (Miss Julie), Hedda Gabler, Underkastelse (Submission) and Lång dags färd mot natt (A Long Day’s Journey into Night) among other plays. His productions at other venues include Pelikanen (The Pelican) at Teater Galeasen and Ritualen (The Ritual) by Ingmar Bergman at Dramaten (the Royal Dramatic Theatre).

The Ekdal family is portrayed by Robin Stegmar, Mia Höglund-Melin, Victoria Dyrstad and Lars Väringer. Gregers, the friend from the past, is portrayed by Benjamin Moliner and Johan Friberg plays the role of Doctor Relling.

Photo Ines Sebalj

Revival
Stage
Studion

Performed in Swedish, no English subtitles.

PRODUCTION

By HENRIK IBSEN Translation KLAS ÖSTERGREN Adaptation LUCAS SVENSSON OCH EMIL GRAFFMAN Direction EMIL GRAFFMAN Ensemble VICTORIA DYRSTAD, JOHAN FRIBERG, MIA HÖGLUND-MELIN, BENJAMIN MOLINER, ROBIN STEGMAR, LARS VÄRINGER Extras TIM PETERSSON BROLIN , EMBLA INGELMAN-SUNDBERG Scenography EMIL GRAFFMAN Costume design MATILDA HYTTSTEN Mask/make-up design MARIA AGATON Light design TOBIAS HAGSTRÖM-STÅHL Sound design MARCUS LILJA ComposerFREDRIK MÖLLER Dramaturge SISELA LINDBLOM Publisher COLOMBINE TEATERFÖRLAG