An American actress – a former teen star – arrives in Norway to shoot a film adaptation of Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler, cast in the title role by an eccentric director. Could it be the fresh start of her career she’s been longing for, a chance to prove herself? Or is it just a way to hide and escape? Who are these Norwegians, and what kind of film are they making?
This bold new version of Henrik Ibsen’s classic drama, written by British playwright Nina Segal, premiered in London in 2023.
The Czech version, staged at Činoherní klub, is directed by Jiří Havelka, with Marta Dancingerová in the title role.
About the company
Since its founding in 1965, Činoherní klub has become one of Prague’s most acclaimed theatres, securing a prominent place on the city’s cultural map. It was also here, just a few steps from Wenceslas Square, that one of the driving forces of the 1989 Velvet Revolution – the Civic Forum – was born.
Činoherní klub is renowned for its outstanding acting and commitment to authenticity, often compared to the subtlety and precision of film performance. Its repertoire focuses on meaningful and dynamic works – both contemporary plays and modern classics – with a particular emphasis on new British and American plays. Činoherní klub was the first Czech theatre to introduce playwrights such as Tracy Letts (Killer Joe, premiered in 1996) and Martin McDonagh (The Lonesome West, premiered in 2001 and still in the repertoire).
The theatre features an atypical “wide-screen” stage, with the audience seated in close proximity, creating a distinctive and intimate experience.
Since 2020, the artistic director has been the renowned actor Martin Finger, who focuses on building and developing a strong ensemble company. In its 60th season, the theatre is presenting four premieres: alongside Gogol’s The Gamblers, the original play written for the theatre, Cursed Ladies, and The Commune by Thomas Vinterberg and Mogens Rukov, it is Shooting Hedda Gabler by Nina Segal that takes the stage. The production of Shooting Hedda Gabler is directed by Jiří Havelka, an acclaimed and award-winning theatre and film director and actor, in his first-ever collaboration with Činoherní klub.
genres
Drama
THEATRE / COMPANY
Drama Club / Činoherní klub
CZECH TITLE
Heda Gablerová – naostro
AUTHOR
Nina Segal
DIRECTION
Jiří Havelka
COMPOSER
Milan Pastyřík, Josef Münzberger
DRAMATURGY
Markéta Kočí Machačíková, Barbora Sedláková
STAGE DESIGN
Dáda Němeček
LIGHTING DESIGN
Milan Pastyřík
COSTUME DESIGN
Sára Voříšková
LENGTH OF THE PERFORMANCE
105 minutes
NUMBER OF TRAVELLING PERSONS
22
LANGUAGE
Czech, English subtitles available
AUDIENCE
adult
STAGE AREA
middle