“Hedda Gabler” reviewed by Frank Meccia with notes from Al Bresloff

****/**** Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler has always been a psychological powder keg, and in this lean, modern adaptation by Christopher Shinn—briskly directed by Remy Bumppo Artistic Director Marti Lyons—it detonates with unnerving precision. What was once a four-act classic is now a tightly wound 90-minute experience with no intermission, and not a second is wasted.

At the center is Hedda Tesman, one of theatre’s most fascinating and infuriating women: aristocratic, bored, and convinced she is trapped in a loveless marriage and a suffocating society. She craves control, freedom, and excitement—and if that means manipulating and destroying those around her, so be it. The question this production quietly poses is chilling: Is Hedda simply narcissistic, or does she suffer from something far darker, even sadistic?

Aurora Real de Asua is mesmerizing as Hedda. Her performance is so precise and emotionally calibrated that the audience doesn’t merely dislike Hedda—we feel genuine disdain for her. That reaction is not accidental; it’s the mark of a fearless performance. Real de Asua makes Hedda’s cruelty feel casual, almost elegant, which only heightens the discomfort. You watch her closely, knowing she is always plotting, always pushing, always bored.

Eduardo Curley plays her husband, Jørgen Tesman, a scholar on the brink of becoming head of a university department. Curley brings warmth and sincerity to Jørgen, a man who genuinely loves his wife and remains oblivious to the emotional chess match being played around him. His earnestness makes Hedda’s behavior even more painful to witness.
Greg Matthew is excellent as Judge Brack, the family lawyer who circles Hedda with a mixture of desire, entitlement, and quiet menace. He understands Hedda in a way others do not, and that mutual recognition creates some of the production’s most tense moments.

Felipe Carrasco portrays Ejlert Løvborg, a rival academic and former lover of Hedda, whose newly written book excites Jørgen and threatens the fragile balance of relationships. Carrasco captures Ejlert’s vulnerability and ambition, making him both compelling and tragic. Alongside him is Gloria Imseih Petrelli as Thea Elvsted, Ejlert’s collaborator and emotional anchor. Petrelli brings genuine sweetness and sincerity to Thea, a woman who tragically believes Hedda has her best interests at heart—when, in truth, Hedda has no interests beyond her own.

Rounding out the cast is Miss Juliane Tesman, Jørgen’s aunt, portrayed with tenderness and quiet dignity. She is a kind, gentle woman who raised Jørgen after the death of his parents and loves him so deeply that she mortgaged her pension to fund his six-month honeymoon and help him purchase a home to please Hedda. Her goodness stands in stark contrast to the emotional devastation unfolding around her.

The humor in Hedda Gabler is subtle but effective, woven into the dialogue in ways that sharpen rather than soften the story. Lyons’ direction ensures the tension never flags, and the 90 minutes fly by with an almost unsettling ease.This production exemplifies what Remy Bumppo Theatre does best: high-impact theatre filled with psychological suspense, moral ambiguity, and unexpected turns. It’s gripping, uncomfortable, and deeply thought-provoking.

Hedda Gabler runs through March 8, with additional performances on Wednesday, February 25, and Wednesday, March 4.

Regular performances are :

Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

Friday at 7:30pm,

Saturday at 7:30pm

Sunday at 2:30pm.

Additional matinees include Thursday, February 26 at 2:30pm, and Saturday, March 7 at 2:30pm.

Performances take place at Theatre Wit, located at 1229 W. Belmont.

Convenient parking is available across the street in the restaurant parking lot in the rear.

Tickets range from $36–$55. Student tickets are $15, and patrons under 30 can purchase $30 tickets on Thursdays and Fridays using the code U30. Tickets are available at RemyBumppo.org or by calling the box office at (773) 975-8150.
This is one play not to miss.

To see what others are saying, visit www.theatreinchicago.com, go to Review Round-Up and click at “Hedda Gabler”.

I was able to grab a moment to head over the Theater Wit to catch this powerful show. This is a very intimate look at the story of woman who tries to escape her life, as it is. Hedda (an amazing portrayal by Aurora Real de Asua). Smartly directed by Marti Lyons on a set designed by  Joe Schermoly and period costuming by Kotryna Hilko, this 90 minute version of the story, up close and very personal will capture your imagination from start to finish.

I learned a little about the special performances for those who are blind, as when I arrived at Wit, they were in the venue walking through the set, the actor’s voices, the costumes etc. They hear and feel and learn where things are placed before “seeing” the actual performance. I glanced over during the performance to see any reactions, and was amazed with what I saw. Isn’t it marvelous that our theater world has found a way to make live theater  accessible.

COMING UP

Open Caption  February 21 at 2:30 where the viewers cell phone allows sounds and dialogue.

Also: lecture  “Between The Lines”  February 22nd at 2:30 show with the lecture at 1:15

Thank You Remy Bumppo!

TOPIC: Remy Bumppo’s “Hedda Gabler” at Theater Wit thru March 8^th

The story is based on a 19^th century work by Ibsen but this Broadway adaptation presents a powerful Hedda Gabler, a woman who desires to escape from a loveless, ordinary existence from her return from her honeymoon when she already finds herself bored of her husband and seeking a return to her wild and independent days of whims.

Joining in the conversation are: Aurora Real de Asua (who plays Hedda Gabler and is an ensemble member of Remy Bumppo), Felipe Carrasco (playing Ejlert Lovborg) and director Marti Lyons (also artistic director of Remy Bumppo Theatre Company)

The production runs thru March 8^th and tickets can be purchased at: www.remybumppo.org

The link:

https://youtu.be/yW-FMR3Z9do?si=wmkeNkoyeggGrB8a