Tanika Gupta's bold adaptation of Ibsen's classic "Hedda" is set against the backdrop of post-war London, where a casual racism was as ingrained in conversation as a polite sneeze. In this reimagined world, film industry insiders don pencil moustaches and tea dresses, hiding behind a veneer of civility that conceals the prejudices of the time.
Pearl Chanda brings to life the complex and troubled Hedda, a white-passing Anglo-Indian woman living with a dual identity that threatens to destroy her carefully constructed life. The play's portrayal of institutionalized racism in the film industry is starkly drawn, where love stories are segregated on screen and those who dare to break the mould are left to face the consequences.
Director Hettie Macdonald brings a sense of unease to the production, particularly in the way her characters discuss Shona, Hedda's Indian maid, as if she were invisible. The chemistry between Chanda and co-star Rina Fatania is undeniable, bringing a poignant depth to their fraught relationship that highlights the harsh realities of racism.
Jake Mann brings a sense of tortured intensity to his portrayal of Lenny, Hedda's former flame who tries to tear down her façade. His character's desperation to understand Hedda drives home the pain and regret that underlies her tough exterior. The supporting cast is equally impressive, with standout performances from Bebe Cave as Alice, George's ex-girlfriend.
However, despite its bold premise, the play struggles to build tension and create an emotional resonance that lingers long after the curtain falls. The pacing falters at times, allowing the characters' actions to feel overly deliberate and their emotions to be told rather than shown. The swiftness of their downfalls also feels somewhat flattened, lacking the impact that a more nuanced portrayal might have delivered.
Still, "Hedda" is a thought-provoking production that sheds light on the darker corners of post-war England's middle-class psyche. With its timely and unflinching portrayal of racism, this adaptation reminds us that even in the most seemingly tranquil of lives, secrets can be explosive – and deadly.
Pearl Chanda brings to life the complex and troubled Hedda, a white-passing Anglo-Indian woman living with a dual identity that threatens to destroy her carefully constructed life. The play's portrayal of institutionalized racism in the film industry is starkly drawn, where love stories are segregated on screen and those who dare to break the mould are left to face the consequences.
Director Hettie Macdonald brings a sense of unease to the production, particularly in the way her characters discuss Shona, Hedda's Indian maid, as if she were invisible. The chemistry between Chanda and co-star Rina Fatania is undeniable, bringing a poignant depth to their fraught relationship that highlights the harsh realities of racism.
Jake Mann brings a sense of tortured intensity to his portrayal of Lenny, Hedda's former flame who tries to tear down her façade. His character's desperation to understand Hedda drives home the pain and regret that underlies her tough exterior. The supporting cast is equally impressive, with standout performances from Bebe Cave as Alice, George's ex-girlfriend.
However, despite its bold premise, the play struggles to build tension and create an emotional resonance that lingers long after the curtain falls. The pacing falters at times, allowing the characters' actions to feel overly deliberate and their emotions to be told rather than shown. The swiftness of their downfalls also feels somewhat flattened, lacking the impact that a more nuanced portrayal might have delivered.
Still, "Hedda" is a thought-provoking production that sheds light on the darker corners of post-war England's middle-class psyche. With its timely and unflinching portrayal of racism, this adaptation reminds us that even in the most seemingly tranquil of lives, secrets can be explosive – and deadly.
This "Hedda" is like a ticking time bomb - all style and no substance 
. Director Hettie Macdonald tries to create unease but ends up feeling kinda...flat 
. Still, the cast is fire 
, esp Bebe Cave's scene-stealing performance 
.
The way Pearl Chanda brings Hedda to life is just mesmerizin', and her chemistry with Rina Fatania is like, totally believable 
It's so cool to see a story that explores the complexities of identity and class, and how they intersect with institutional racism. But, yeah, I feel like some parts did fall flat for me – the pacing could've been tighter, and some scenes felt a bit too on-the-nose 
. I mean, who wouldn't want to watch a movie about a woman struggling with her identity and racism in post-war London? Sounds like a real feel-good story 
. But seriously, the acting was on point and the chemistry between Chanda and Fatania was amazing 
. Still, it's great that this production sheds light on the darker corners of history... about time someone did 
.
. Overall, it was a thought-provoking production, I'll give 'em that, but next time can we please get some more nuance? 
it's like whoa! So she takes Ibsen's classic and sets it in post-war London where racism is all over the place 
like, pencil moustaches and tea dresses but behind closed doors it's all super problematic 
she brings this complex energy to her character that's just so relatable 
still tho it's super thought-provoking and sheds some serious light on racism in post-war England 
also, u know when the director Hettie Macdonald does that thing w/ Shona's character & it feels like they're just glossing over her existence 
. But, for real though, the pacing could've been tighter, it felt kinda slow at times 
. And, can we talk about how they handled the racism in the film industry? It's a huge deal and I love that they're bringing it to light, but sometimes it feels like it's just glossed over 
.
but still, it doesn't quite come together in the end 
, like we don't see enough of that in our school plays 
. But what really got me was how Hedda's dual identity as a white-passing Anglo-Indian woman affected her relationships and life 
. It was so complex and nuanced, like trying to balance multiple extracurriculars at once 
.
. And Jake Mann's performance as Lenny was on point 
.
The film industry is still as racist as ever, what a shock 
. Can't believe they didn't get it right this time, thought "Hedda" would be more than just a bunch of words on a page 
. Pacing was off and some characters felt like cardboard cutouts... still, it's about time we talked about these issues, at least 
. But at the same time, I feel like this production gives us a really important conversation starter – I mean, who wouldn't want to see a play about racism in the 50s? 
, and I swear, I ate so much weird food there... like fried tarantulas and whatnot 
. Like, it was always lurking just out of sight, waiting to pounce on some invisible mouse... I swear, I'm starting to think that cat is more dramatic than some of these actors in this play 
. And speaking of which, have you ever noticed how some shows are like a soap opera without the soaps? Just characters having super intense arguments and stuff 
. Anyways, back to "Hedda"... I do love how the director brings out that unease, though 
. It's like, you can practically feel the tension in the air... almost like when I'm trying to concentrate on work but my mind keeps wandering to weird cat stories 
.
. Director Hettie Macdonald did an amazing job capturing that unease, especially when it comes to Shona's presence 
. still, so many themes that are just too relevant today... it's like Ibsen's words are speaking straight to my soul 
Pearl Chanda is literally giving me LIFE as Hedda, her character is so complex & multi layered! 
The way she explores the racism in the film industry is SO timely & important. Director Hettie Macdonald did an amazing job bringing unease to the production