The Theatre Department will perform a play titled “A Doll’s House (Part 2)” from Sep. 9 to Sep. 18 at the Concordia University Irvine Studio Theatre.

The play features a deeper understanding of the complex characters that were in the first part of the play. Catalina Tan, who plays the role of Nora, said, In the original play, ‘A Doll’s House’ by Henrik Ibsen, I feel like we only get to scratch the surface of Nora, but in Lucas Hnath’s ‘A Doll’s House Part 2,’ we really get to see who Nora truly is underneath the facade that she has created in the original.”

Tan added, “There is something so incredibly intriguing about playing a character who has almost completely come into her own and done a complete 180 in a second rendition of a play, and the other amazing thing is that there even is a part two in the first place!”

Nora has an intriguing personality. Tan said, “One of the most exciting parts about playing Nora would have to be who she is as a person.” She added that, “Her personality, her drive, her past, it all excites me and makes me interested in becoming this person.”

Another complex character in the play is Torvald. Senior Benjamin Levy plays the role.

“What excites me most about playing Torvald is that he’s such a different character from what I’ve played before,” Levy said. “This is my first time playing a character who has felt such betrayal, so I’m excited to show his suffering and anger.”

Levy had to do quite a bit of internal searching to play the role of Torvald. He said, “[Torvald] brings up really good points in his arguments that I agree with and things that have happened to him that I can portray by pulling emotions from personal experiences. There are also arguments he says or things he does that I don’t agree with, where I have to be able to empathize with him and see how he would see things that way.”

The play promises to keep you on the edge of your seat. Tony Vezner, Professor of Theatre, said, “This play is full of so many plot twists and unexpected changes that it makes for a wild, unexpected ride. Given that the play is set up with the audience so close, you are going to get to see these talented actors deal with those crazy plot twists within a few feet of you. The intimacy of the setup and the strength of the performances is going to be unbelievable.”

The play also features contemporary commentary that can strike up discourse on important social issues. Vezner said, “This play will leave you laughing and arguing about the role of feminism in relationships - husband/wife and wife/child.”

The process of preparing for the play was a challenging and rewarding process that demanded a colossal effort from all those involved. Vezner said, “I love working with students on the creative process - both in creating the designs and in creating their performances in the rehearsal hall. This show was a juicy challenge for our students and they have worked so hard [coming back on August 8 and working two weeks for nearly 40 hours each week] to bring this show to life. It’s rewarding to be a part of that.”

“Preparation for my role as Nora has been a ton of work, but I’ve loved every second of it,” Tan said. “Personally, I’ve found that getting into the mindset of Nora has been a bit easier since I’ve had the privilege of getting into costume earlier in the process rather than later. Preparation for Nora has also looked like asking myself the question of ‘How do I relate to this individual?’”

Even if one has never seen the first part of “A Doll’s House,” they will still understand and appreciate the second rendition of the play. Levy recommended “either reading or watching the first play, ‘A Doll’s House.’” He said, “It isn’t required to understand what’s going on in ‘A Doll’s House Part 2’ but you might find a deeper connection with the characters if you do.”

Admission is free for CUI students, $12 for seniors and non-CUI students, and $15 for general admission. Purchase tickets at https://cui.simpletix.com/. 

 

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