Nora is a contemporary interpretation of Henrik Ibsen’s drama A doll’s house depicting a woman dominated by men who surround her. Has the position of women changed substantially since the premiere of the play in 1879? Tg STAN’s show, free from historical burdens, is a critical analysis of female and male relationships, a subtle, though very severe, attempt at portraying the 21st century society - full of hypocrisy, dominated by consumerist approach to life and building bonds. In a minimalist stage design, resembling a living room in a typical, contemporary, middle-class house, the actors expose in a teasing and ironic way the clichés used most often in telling the story of Nora.
Nora is a Malta Festival Poznań coproduction, part of the House on Fire network.
With the support of the Culture Programme of the European Union.
Tg STAN (Stop Thinking About Names) was established in 1989 on the initiative of four actors: Jolente De Keersmaeker, Sara De Roo, Damiaan De Schrijver and Frank Vercruyssen. The group works without a director but in every show - as critics underscore - proves the power of collective work and perfect artistic understanding between the actors. Tg STAN’s work is characterized by a turn towards the actor, his/her presence on stage, the pleasure of acting and active participation in the show creation. The artists say about themselves that they deconstruct the deceit of theatre - according to Denis Diderot (they staged his “Paradox of the actor” in 2003): “The actor knows well enough that all this is not true”. Their rejection of dogmatism is also visible in the repertoire. Next to Chekhov and Ibsen, it includes such authors as Jean Cocteau, Jean Anouilh, Oscar Wilde and Georde Bernard Shaw. The members of tg STAN respect the classics, but look in their texts predominantly for tools enabling a critical analysis of the contemporary society.
text A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen
by and with Jolente De Keersmaeker, Wine Dierickx, Tiago Rodrigues and Frank Vercruyssenlighting design Thomas Walgrave
costumes An d’Huys
technique André Calado and Tim Woutersproduction tg STAN
coproduction: House on Fire, Teatro Maria Matos, Lisbon (PT), BIT Teatergarasjen, Bergen (NO), Maltafestival Poznan (PL), Kaaitheater, Brusselswith the support of the Culture Programme of the European Union
many thanks to Mundo Perfeito, Alkantara, Björn Schmeltzer and Clive Mitchell
première 6 July 2012, Teatro Maria Matos, Lisbon (PT)
www.stan.be