The production now playing at Manchester’s Royal Exchange is a gripping story of female empowerment where three distinct and remarkable Noras, played by Jodie McNee, Kirsty Rider and Yusra Warsama, tell their stories from their 1918, 1968 and 2018 existences.
The cast is completed by William Ash, Naeem Hayat and Andrew Sheridan.
Nora Helmer tries hard to be the perfect wife, the perfect mother, the perfect homemaker – but under the veneer she’s close to cracking. She feels like she’s trapped in a doll’s house and that is perfectly clear – shockingly, she doesn’t even know what exists beyond the end of her street.
Spanning 100 years of women’s liberation, this is a thought-provoking play for all ages and genders.
Generations of women will see everything has changed but nothing has really changed at all
It reinforces the message to help men to be better by thinking about their actions and the subtle, yet powerful, language used towards women. However, the play beautifully demonstrates that men are equally trapped by the social norms.
For all other genders, it’s a reminder of the battle cry and a ripple of hope for our longer-term future, as change is possible – unfortunately it can just take a long time.
The play particularly resonated with me, not only as a married working woman, but also because this is the first I’ve been brave enough to go to see live post-lockdown.
We’ve all been trapped in our own peculiar doll’s house and to quote Bryony Shanahan, the Director, “Maybe this is a moment for us to kind of re-enter the world, to think about what it is we want to do and who we want to be”.
Whilst this may sound a bit deep and meaningful the play is also great fun, very clever and at times amusing.
The audience laughed heartily when 1968 Nora exclaimed that it’s good two men can now live together as it saves us [women] having to!
The three Noras really were as one, as each of the actors brilliantly wove in and out of the others era, becoming stronger than the male characters as they finally found their voice.
An ingenious but sparse set design ‘suspended’ the stage by wires, gradually becoming more taught, portrayed the breaking point of these three Noras.
There were parts where I felt a bit niggled and really did want to cheer when the Noras announced they were leaving Thomas, their husband, but couldn’t help feeling very sad for their three children.
You may need to close your ears to the strong language, but it is appropriate and adds to the overall texture of the play.
The only bit I thought was a step too far was some crazy dancing, but it wouldn’t be a Royal Exchange production without something a bit odd to make the most of the amazing theatrical space.
The Royal Exchange are still preferring everyone to wear masks so you may want to factor this in as they will ask you to oblige on entry unless exempt.
NORA: A DOLLS HOUSE runs in the Theatre from 4 Mar – 2 Apr 2022 and is definitely worth seeing.
5 stars
