Hedda Gabler (NHB Classic Plays) E-Book

Henrik Ibsen

• Herausgeber: Nick Hern Books
• Kategorie: Poesie und Drama
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2014

Seitenzahl: 121

Beschreibung

A wife, a muse, a coward, a heretic. Hedda Gabler is something to everyone, yet has no idea who she is to herself. Trapped by convention and by her own irreconcilable nature, will she have the courage to shape her own destiny? Mark O'Rowe's fluid yet faithful adaptation of Ibsen's masterpiece premiered at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, in April.

Leseprobe

Henrik Ibsen

HEDDA GABLER

in a new version by

Mark O’Rowe

NICK HERN BOOKS

London

www.nickhernbooks.co.uk

Contents

Title Page

Original production

Characters

Hedda Gabler

About the Authors

Copyright and Performing Rights Information

This version of Hedda Gabler was first performed at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, on 10 April 2015, with the following cast:

AUNT JULLE

Jane Brennan

SUPERNUMERARY MAID

Dee Burke

JUDGE BRACK

Declan Conlon

JORGE TESMAN

Peter Gaynor

EJLERT LOVBORG

Keith McErlean

BERTE

Deirdre Molloy

THEA ELVSTED

Kate Stanley Brennan

HEDDA GABLER

Catherine Walker

Director

Annabelle Comyn

Set Design

Paul O’Mahony

Costume Design

Peter O’Brien

Lighting Design

Chahine Yavroyan

Composer and Sound Design

Philip Stewart

Movement Director

Sue Mythen

Characters

AUNT JULLE, sixties

BERTE, fifties

JORGE TESMAN, thirties

HEDDA TESMAN, late twenties

THEA ELVSTED, mid-twenties

JUDGE BRACK, forties

EJLERT LOVBORG, thirties

This ebook was created before the end of rehearsals and so may differ slightly from the play as performed.

ACT ONE

A large, elegant drawing room. A sofa, round table, chairs, an armchair and footstool by a large stove, an upright piano, carpets. A smaller room beyond, a portrait of a handsome military man on its wall. Flowers in vases and bouquets on tables everywhere. Autumn-morning light through the French doors. AUNT JULLE enters, wearing a hat and carrying a parasol, followed by BERTE, the maid, carrying another bunch of flowers.

AUNT JULLE. Are they up yet?

BERTE. No.

AUNT JULLE. Well, that’s no surprise, I suppose…

BERTE. Mm.

AUNT JULLE.…given how late they got in.

BERTE. That’s true.

AUNT JULLE.…you know?

BERTE. And then with all the things she had to have unpacked before bed.

AUNT JULLE. Oh, is that right?

BERTE. Sure we were up at least another hour after we arrived.

AUNT JULLE. Oh, poor Berte! (Beat.) Well, let’s let some light in anyway, will we?

She goes to the French doors and opens them.

BERTE (looking around). There’s nowhere to put the flowers.

AUNT JULLE. Hm? (Looking around.) Put them on the piano.

BERTE. Ah.

She does. Pause.

AUNT JULLE. So.

BERTE. Mm.

AUNT JULLE. A new mistress.

BERTE. Yes.

AUNT JULLE. A new house. I must say, Berte, Miss Rina and I will miss you.

BERTE. And how do you think I’ll feel?

AUNT JULLE. I know, but we’ll all just have to adapt, I suppose. If Jorge needs you here with him, then that’s what he needs. At least you’re used to his ways.

BERTE. That’s true. But I still can’t help worrying about her.

AUNT JULLE. Miss Rina?

BERTE. Yes.

AUNT JULLE. She’ll be all right.

BERTE. She’s so helpless, though. And that new girl…

AUNT JULLE. The new girl’s completely competent, Berte, and you know it. Now, please stop worrying, yes?

BERTE. I…

AUNT JULLE.…all right? My sister and I will manage perfectly well without you.

BERTE. Mm.

Pause.

AUNT JULLE. What is it? (Pause.) Berte.

BERTE. Nothing. She’s just so particular.

AUNT JULLE. Who, the new girl?

BERTE. No, Miss Hedda.

AUNT JULLE. And why on earth wouldn’t she be, her being a general’s child?

BERTE. I suppose.

AUNT JULLE. With that type of upbringing?

BERTE. Only child.

AUNT JULLE. Hm?

BERTE. A general’s only child.

AUNT JULLE. Well, that’s what I’m saying. God, remember we used to see them out riding together, and her in that skirt…

BERTE. The long… the black one.

AUNT JULLE. Yes.

BERTE. I do.

AUNT JULLE.…and that giant feather in her hat. The poise she had!

BERTE. I know.

AUNT JULLE.…The authority!

BERTE. It’s hard to believe that Jorge would have ended up with a woman like that.

AUNT JULLE. Doctor Jorge.

BERTE. Oh, yes. She already corrected me.

AUNT JULLE. And me.

BERTE. You didn’t know either?

AUNT JULLE. No, sure he only earned the title when they were abroad.

BERTE. He’s so clever, though, isn’t he?

AUNT JULLE. Jorge? Oh, yes. Extremely. Do you know, I often think that if my brother, Lord rest him, could see what’s become of his little boy, he’d… (Beat.) Why have you taken the covers off the chairs?

BERTE. She told me to.

AUNT JULLE. Miss Hedda?

BERTE. Yes.

AUNT JULLE. So, this’ll be their living room, then?!

BERTE. I would imagine so.

AUNT JULLE. I see. Jorge!

JORGE TESMAN enters through the inner room. He is wearing comfortable indoor clothes and carries an empty, open suitcase.

TESMAN. Aunt Julle! You’re here already!

AUNT JULLE (as they embrace). Well, I had to come and see how you’d settled in.

TESMAN. But you must have hardly gotten any sleep.

AUNT JULLE. I got enough.

TESMAN. And Berte! (To AUNT JULLE.) You got home all right from the quay last night?

AUNT JULLE. Judge Brack took me right to my door.

TESMAN. Oh, good. I’m sorry we couldn’t take you with us, Auntie. But you saw the…

AUNT JULLE. Yes.

TESMAN.…the amount of cases Hedda had.

BERTE. Should I see if she wants anything?

TESMAN. Oh, no, Berte. No. She’ll ring if she does.

BERTE. All right.

TESMAN (of suitcase). Oh, but take this away with you, would you?

BERTE. I’ll put it up in the loft.

TESMAN. Good idea.

She takes it from him and exits.

My notes.

AUNT JULLE. Hm?

TESMAN. That’s what I had in the suitcase. All the stuff I managed to find on my travels. In archives…

AUNT JULLE. Really.

TESMAN. Oh, yes… and museums… I collected an enormous amount of material. Take your hat off, Auntie.

AUNT JULLE. Oh.

TESMAN. Actually, here. Let me.

He takes it off for her.

It’s lovely.

AUNT JULLE. Do you think?

TESMAN. Is it new? Oh, certainly.

AUNT JULLE. I bought it because of Hedda, actually.

TESMAN. What do you mean?

AUNT JULLE. So she won’t be ashamed of me if we’re out together.

TESMAN. Oh, Aunt Julle.

AUNT JULLE. What?

TESMAN. That’s ridiculous. Who’d be ashamed of you?

AUNT JULLE. Well…

TESMAN. Come here. Come on. Sit down here with me.

He places the hat on an armchair and sits down on the sofa. AUNT JULLE puts her parasol against the sofa and sits beside him.

So, how is Aunt Rina?

AUNT JULLE. No better, I’m afraid.

TESMAN. Oh, no.

AUNT JULLE. Mm.

TESMAN. Tell me.

AUNT JULLE. What’s to tell? She lies there day after day as if she’s just waiting for… (Beat.) you know…

TESMAN. I do.

AUNT JULLE.…the inevitable.

TESMAN. That’s awful.

AUNT JULLE. I really can’t think what I’m going to do without her, Jorge. Especially now I don’t have you to look after.

TESMAN. You’ll always have me to look after, Aunt Julle.

AUNT JULLE. But, you know what I mean: you’re a married man now…

TESMAN. Mm.

AUNT JULLE.…hard as it is to believe. And to think that, of all of them, you’d be the one to win her.

TESMAN. All of who?

AUNT JULLE. Her admirers.

TESMAN. I know. I’d say there are several men around here who wouldn’t mind being in my shoes.

AUNT JULLE. And your honeymoon?

TESMAN. What? How was it?

AUNT JULLE. Yes.

TESMAN. Too short.

AUNT JULLE. It was six whole months!

TESMAN. I know, but I could have easily continued travelling…

AUNT JULLE. Could you?

TESMAN.…researching… Oh, definitely. (Beat.) Definitely.

AUNT JULLE (coyly). And do you have any other news at all?

TESMAN. Other news?

AUNT JULLE. Yes.

TESMAN. Well…

AUNT JULLE. Or special news.

TESMAN. Well, I don’t think there’s much I didn’t get into in my letters, Auntie. My doctorate…

AUNT JULLE. Which is so wonderful…

TESMAN. Mm.

AUNT JULLE.…but isn’t there, how can I put it? you know, any prospect on the horizon of…

TESMAN. Prospect.

AUNT JULLE. Yes.

TESMAN. Of what? Oh, of my becoming professor!

AUNT JULLE. Well…

TESMAN. Yes! There’s every prospect of it, Auntie, as you know. Is that what you’re asking me?

AUNT JULLE (beat). I suppose it is.

TESMAN. Well, absolutely. The position’s as good as mine, in fact, which is…

AUNT JULLE. Oh, how wonderful.

TESMAN. Yes, which is just as well, given just how expensive the honeymoon was.

AUNT JULLE. Oh, really.

TESMAN. Well, you know, that’s how travel is in Europe these days.

AUNT JULLE. Your research grant must have helped, though, did it?

TESMAN. A little.

AUNT JULLE. Okay.

TESMAN. Not an awful lot, though, and Hedda’s used, as you know, to the finer things, so that only adds to the overall cost. But she just had to have that trip, Aunt Julle.

AUNT JULLE. I know.

TESMAN. She had to, and I just had to give it to her. The trip…

AUNT JULLE. Mm-hm.

TESMAN.…the house…

AUNT JULLE. And how do you like the house?

TESMAN. I love it, of course! Oh, and we were so lucky it came up for sale when it did. Do you know that, even before we got engaged, Hedda told me that this was the only house she’d ever like to live in?

AUNT JULLE. The house of her dreams.

TESMAN. Exactly.

AUNT JULLE. That’s so romantic, Jorge.

TESMAN. It is. It’s also another expense, unfortunately. Although, I have to admit, Judge Brack got very good terms for me, considering.

AUNT JULLE. Did he write to you?

TESMAN. No, to Hedda.

AUNT JULLE. I see. And did he tell her that Rina and I gave security for the…

TESMAN. Yes.

AUNT JULLE.…the carpets and furniture?

TESMAN. Yes, he did, and you shouldn’t have, Auntie.

AUNT JULLE. Why not?

TESMAN. Because you do far too much for me as it is.

AUNT JULLE. Nonsense.

TESMAN. Well…

AUNT JULLE. Sure aren’t you my only joy in the world?

TESMAN (beat). I suppose.

AUNT JULLE. Well, then.

TESMAN. Well, I’m grateful.

AUNT JULLE. Stop. It was the very least I could do. (Beat.) You’ve no idea how proud I am of you, Jorge, do you know that? (Beat.) You rose above all those people who thought they were better than you. Didn’t you.

TESMAN. Mm.

AUNT JULLE. Like that other fellow.

TESMAN. Who?

AUNT JULLE. That awful fellow. Lovborg.

TESMAN. Ejlert?

AUNT JULLE. Yes.

TESMAN. I hear he has a new book out, actually.

AUNT JULLE. Really?

TESMAN. So I hear.

AUNT JULLE. And who cares about that? I dare say yours will be infinitely superior when it’s finished. (Beat.) Won’t it, Jorge?

TESMAN. It will.

AUNT JULLE. You’re not my brother’s son for nothing. (Pause.) What’s it about?

TESMAN. The domestic crafts of medieval Brabant.

AUNT JULLE. Fascinating. And when will it arrive?

TESMAN. Well, that may be later rather than sooner, given all this material I have to sort through. Though, I’m really looking forward, I must say, to getting going on it. Especially here.

AUNT JULLE. In your gorgeous new house.

TESMAN. That’s right.

AUNT JULLE. And with your gorgeous new wife.

TESMAN. Oh, Aunt Julle. But she’s the most unbelievable part of it all! Actually, is this her?

HEDDA TESMAN enters through the inner room in a stylish dressing gown.

AUNT JULLE. Good morning, dear Hedda.

HEDDA. Miss Tesman. Here so early!

AUNT JULLE. I…

HEDDA. You’re so good.

AUNT JULLE. Oh, it’s nothing at all. And did you sleep well, my dear?

HEDDA. Not very.

TESMAN. What?! You were dead to the world when I got up.

HEDDA. Oh, was I?

TESMAN. Yes.

HEDDA. Finally! (To AUNT JULLE.) I tossed and turned for half the night.

AUNT JULLE. Well, it often takes a little time to get used to a new environment.

TESMAN. True.

HEDDA. It’s so bright in here! Oh, the maid must have opened the…

AUNT JULLE. Ah…

HEDDA.…the windows.

AUNT JULLE.…I’ll shut them for you, Miss Hedda.

HEDDA. Oh, don’t. Tesman, will you just draw the curtains a little?

TESMAN. Good idea. (As he does.) That way you’ve got both shade and air.

HEDDA. All these blessed flowers! Sit down, Miss Tesman.

AUNT JULLE. No, no. Thank you, no. I’d better be thinking of getting home to Rina.

TESMAN. Will you give her my love, Auntie?

AUNT JULLE. Yes.

TESMAN. And tell her I’ll pop in later today.

AUNT JULLE. Oh, I almost forgot!

She takes out something wrapped in newspaper and hands it to him.

Here.

TESMAN. What is it?

AUNT JULLE. Unwrap it and see.

He does, revealing an old pair of slippers.

TESMAN. Oh, Aunt Julle…

HEDDA. What is it?

TESMAN.…you kept them for me! My slippers, Hedda!

HEDDA. Oh.

TESMAN. Remember I told you about them?

HEDDA (as she goes to the stove). I do.

TESMAN (to AUNT JULLE). I…

HEDDA. Many times.

TESMAN. I was heartbroken when I discovered I’d left them behind. Have a look, Hedda.

HEDDA. No, that’s okay.

TESMAN. Aunt Rina, sick as she was, even then…

AUNT JULLE. That’s true.

TESMAN.…was good enough to embroider them for me. Oh, they hold such memories, such…

HEDDA. Oh, for God’s sake!

They look at her. Pause.

We’ll never be able to manage with that maid.

TESMAN. Not manage?

AUNT JULLE. With Berte?

TESMAN. Why not?

HEDDA. Look at that! Leaving her dull old hat on the…

TESMAN. Ah.

HEDDA.…the chair.

TESMAN. That isn’t the maid’s hat, Hedda.

AUNT JULLE. Nor is it old.

She takes the hat, puts it on her head. As she fixes it:

HEDDA. Oh, I’m sorry.

AUNT JULLE. Mm.

HEDDA. And you’re right, of course. Now that I look at it closely…

TESMAN. Exactly… it’s a beautiful hat.

AUNT JULLE. Thank you, Jorge.

TESMAN. Very smart, isn’t that right, Hedda?

HEDDA. Yes.

TESMAN. Very charming.

AUNT JULLE. Where’s my…?

TESMAN. But, Auntie…

AUNT JULLE (getting her parasol). Yes?

TESMAN.…isn’t Hedda charming too?

AUNT JULLE. ‘Charming’?

TESMAN. Well, what I mean is, isn’t she looking beautiful?

AUNT JULLE. Well, Hedda was always beautiful, Jorge.

TESMAN. But particularly since our trip. I’m not sure if it was the Austrian air, but don’t you think she’s filled out just a bit?

AUNT JULLE. Filled out?

TESMAN. Just a little, yes. I know it’s hard to tell with her dressing gown on, but…

HEDDA. Tesman…

TESMAN. What?

HEDDA.…Stop it, would you? (Beat.) I’m exactly the same as I was when we left.

TESMAN. I don’t think you are, Hedda. Is she, Auntie?

Beat. Then, with a quiet realisation:

AUNT JULLE. Not really, no. Oh, Hedda…

She approaches her.

…Lovely Hedda Tesman…

She takes her head between her hands and kisses her on the forehead.

…God bless you and…

HEDDA. Yes.

AUNT JULLE.…and keep you.

HEDDA (gently breaking free). You’re very kind.

AUNT JULLE. I mean that with all my heart. And I’m going to visit the two of you every day. I promise.

TESMAN. That’ll be wonderful, Auntie.

AUNT JULLE. It’s all