Nia DaCosta approached Henrik Ibsen’s “Hedda Gabler” not to simply adapt but to completely transform the play. The outcome is a remarkable display of technical prowess. Tessa Thompson and Nina Hoss star in the roles of two brilliant women at odds, constrained and set against each other by a male-dominated society in “Hedda.” The production delves into Ibsen’s exploration of deceitful behavior.
The central question posed by the story revolves around Hedda Gabler, a woman ensnared in a high-society marriage due to her capricious nature and external societal pressures. Is she a villain or a victim for seeking a semblance of control by manipulating those in her surroundings? DaCosta’s rendition of “Hedda,” now available for streaming on Prime, tackles this same inquiry while preserving the essence of the original but discarding much of the traditional elements.
DaCosta emphasized the importance of adapting classical works to suit not only the current era but also the individual interpreting them. In her version, Hedda is reimagined as a queer Black woman existing in a time that does not acknowledge either facet of her identity.