etb English
Theatre
Berlin International Performing Arts Center

“The door to the street slammed shut.”

When Nora left her husband and children to pursue her independence, freeing herself from the doll’s house society placed her in, the door slammed so hard it was heard around the world. 1879, also the year in which the incandescent light bulb entered mass production, witnessed the beginning of a debate about individualism, freedom and self-empowerment that is still being conducted today, 140 years later.

After nearly one-and-half centuries, what has changed? Can this prototypical tale of female emancipation be applied to other demographic groups in the 21st century? What role can Henrik Ibsen’s classic play perform in contemporary society? How can it remain as vital as it was in the 19th century without collapsing into clichés and empty proclamations?

A trio of male performers visits a new country, Noraland, putting on Nora’s words like festive dresses, trying to fill her shoes in a heroic yet ridiculous attempt to follow in those (in)famous footsteps.