Hedda is the one with fire written all over her.

If you don’t know the story of Hedda Gabbler, you should. She was a wild girl who tried to live within social norms, but she couldn’t. She ended up shooting herself rather than living out the poverty of imagination of those around her. There is another person like her, a rebel and a punk who also tries to conform, he kills off by shooting himself through the bowels. Nothing goes right in this play for the people we care for. I can’t imagine many will side with those who repress Hedda whether knowingly or just by the paucity of their ambition to live.

The Gallaghers broke free and they took a generation with them, including friends of mine (Mingle +) and me (for a time in the late nineties). But my obsession with Ibsen and his deep understanding of vivacity (from Peer Gynt to the Master Builder) goes deeper than my affection for Oasis. Sorry Bobby but it’s no contest!

Sedos is my local amateur theatre company. I’d like to say thanks to them for wonderful performances. I paid £12.50 to see a memorable performance, the last performance is tonight, tonight I’m at the Ukulele karaoke in Windsor (and Eton).

Hedda Gabler opened to a fantastic reception, so if you haven’t booked yet, scurry to the box office – there is only one chance left to see the show.

Book for tonight (Saturday 12th)  here

Sedos advertise Ibsen’s geared up version

Widely considered a cornerstone of modern theatre, Hedda Gabler is a canonised masterpiece of the 19th century, played across stages globally and storming Broadway more than 20 times.

Hedda is stifled in a world of sterile perfection and suffocating expectations, but beneath the surface, she is a powder keg of desire and defiance. When an old flame resurfaces with everything she’s been denied – passion, purpose, power – Hedda spirals into a game of seduction and sabotage.

In this retelling, Henrik Ibsen’s work has been channelled through the mind of Patrick Marber, giving the story an accessible lens for modern-day audiences. Gone are the ruffs, corsets and bluster. In this gladiatorial reimagining, we are left with nothing but seven actors on a stage – but not everyone will come out alive.

This pressure-cooker story is about the illusion of freedom, the battle for social superiority, and the unbearable burden of losing control.

Hedda Gabler in this version was first presented in the Lyttelton auditorium of the National Theatre, London, on 5 December 2016.

LondonTheatre1 gave the show four stars, describing it as a “striking, well-paced and thought-provoking take…breathing fresh life into a complex classic…a thoroughly enjoyable and unsettling evening of theatre”.

Musical Theatre Musings also only had praise for the production, calling it “a riveting take on this seminal piece of theatre”.

You can check out the production trailer here and there are still three chances left to catch us before we close, so book tickets now!