Theatre TSC brings timeless 'A Doll's House' to life for modern audience
"Aren't you sensible yet?" A line thrown at Nora Helmer by her supposed best friend in Theatre TSC's production of Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House. This line encompasses how the world in 1879 saw most women. This line would also have the same place and meaning in any entertainment aimed at a female character in 2025!
Theatre TSC's production started out with the lovely but stark Helmer living room. The scenic designer and production coordinator M. Derek Nieves really wanted it to feel like an actual doll house; geometric with very simple decor.
There are large negative spaces in the walls where someone could reach in to place a piece of the somewhat austere furniture. There are times where it also greatly resembles a cage. Large spaces that Nora, the main character, could escape out of but she insists on only using the doors.
Nora Helmer is the light that warms her house. She begins this story as an exemplary 19th century housewife. Kayla-Elizabeth Meyzen plays Nora with a bit of sunshine in her pocket wherever she goes. She knows her place in life, she loves her place, she has built her cozy home with grit and determination.
As the play continues, Nora discovers this palace she has built herself is made of cards and is bound to fall with the slightest breath. Meyzen takes the audience on Nora's journey of "doll-child" to "doll-wife" to a woman who is determined to know her own mind no matter what that may destroy.
The emotional and physical journey that Meyzen brings to Nora is lovely to behold. She sets the pace for everyone to follow, and they did.
Nora's husband, Torvald, is played by Gerain Arias. Everyone knows a Torvald. A man who has a good life, almost charmed, and completely believes it is due to himself alone. Arias plays Torvald with a blinding charm that becomes almost villainous when Nora begins to shine a light on the dark corners of their lives.
The ensemble of other characters all bring in different shades to color Nora's life and sense of self. We see how everyone in this woman's life can admire her and belittle her in one sentence.
The lighting in this production, designed by Joshua Simon, slowly becomes its own character. I truly enjoyed the use of warm and cool tones to carry the emotionally undercurrent of the scenes. Special spotlights and the use of practical lights on stage underscored important moments without seeming out of place.
The costumes, designed by Sarah Matlow, are gorgeous period pieces that manage to feel of-the-time without feeling stuffy. The audience knows this story is from another time, but are not held at arms length from the story.
"A Doll's House" is not a contemporary play. It holds to an older style with three acts instead of the usual two. Director James Alexander Bond has decided to stick with acts and have two shorter intermissions instead of the usual one longer intermission. This serves the story so well.
You come back from each intermission to see a new Nora and new changes to each character. The audience gets to truly appreciate these changes given the time they had to digest the previous act.
Theatre TSC's production of "A Doll's House" does a fantastic job of highlighting the fragility of gender roles. How the expectations of a charmed life can disregard the work it takes to get one.
A play that is over 100 years old has characters and story lines that impact modern audiences. Go and see this lovely production and decide for yourself what you think Nora should do.
If you go
What:Theatre TSC's production of "A Doll's House"
When:7 p.m. Nov.15-15 and 21-22 and 2 p.m. Nov. 23
Where:TSC's Turner Auditorium, 444 Appleyard Drive
Tickets:$18 for adults, $15 for seniors (60+) and $10 for non-TSC students and children, free for TSC students and employees. Visit tsc.fl.edu/theatre-tsc . Cash only at the door.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Theatre TSC brings 'A Doll's House' to life for modern audience
