Open House

WHAT WITH controversy over the Pi Eta Speakers Club and the What is to be Done problems with Wellesley. Harvard feminists recently have had a lot to keep themselves busy. Lowell House Drama Society's current staging of Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House resists the temptation to capitalize on this furor. By shifting the play's emphasis from feminist to humanist, the production loses none of the original interpretation's power while finding a deeper and more universal message.

A Doll's House follows Norwegian housewife Nora Helmer's burgeoning self-awareness as her husband learns of a deception she committed to save his life. His unsympathetic and selfish reaction leads her to question the basis for her marriage and her place in her society. The major problem with the traditional feminist interpretation is that much of the detail has become dated: turn of the century Norway is not 1980s United States. The Lowell production circumvents this potential flaw by emphasizing the underlying human relationships rather than the specifics of Nora's situation. Nora's struggle is transformed from that of an idealogue spouting chain-breaking rhetoric, into that of an individual seeking to free herself from an artificially constrictive world.

While the supporting players are all competent, with Jim Caudle especially shining as Dr. Rank, it is Julie Glucksman's Nora and Brad Dalton's Torvald who make the play work. Dalton effectively portrays Torvald's flawed character, almost a caricature of intolerance and insensitivity. Showing no understanding of human imperfection or feelings, he constructs a dream world of perfection around his doll-wife Nora and cannot understand her violating it, even to save his life. In lesser hands the role could come off as a mere foil for Nora to rebel against. It is to Dalton's credit that his Torvald is not only real, but also sympathetic; we understand how Nora cold once have loved him. The intensity Dalton brings to his role paints Torvald as a victim of his own insecurity; his seeming intolerance is a result of fear of imperfection rather than stern, unflinching cruelty.

THE EVENING, HOWEVER, belongs to freshman Julie Glucksman who charms and coruscates as Nora. Beautiful enough to carry off lines like "it's a good thing everything looks good on me" and delightful enough to make us understand Torvald's obsession. Glucksman also manages to sustain a fine balance between her character's outward uncertainty and inner strength. Her refusal to play the cliched "strong woman" through the first two acts makes Nora's third act awakening all the more shattering. Instead of emphasizing the potentially didactic element of the script. Glucksman convincingly brings out the deeper, more rivelling dilemma of a woman forced to choose-between family and freedom.

With its panelled walls and paned windows, the Lowell JCR provides a perfect intimate setting. Using suspended doorframes to delineate the rooms and having the actors themselves switch the lights add especially nice touches. Intelligent reinterpretation of a strong though difficult script, and strong to stellar performances make for an evening of excellent house theater.