HEDDA (Bristol Old Vic)****

 

By Dave

Link: https://bristololdvic.org.uk/whats-on/hedda from £10

Available until: Further livestreams on Thursday at 2.30pm and Thursday and Friday at 7.30pm

Content warnings: Loud noises and themes of suicide. Recommended 15+

Hedda is a modern retelling of Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler which is performed by members of the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Lucy Kirkwood’s script has the same basic idea of Hedda being trapped in an unwanted marriage and wanting to do something to stop herself from going crazy with boredom.

GHOSTS (Almeida Theatre/Trafalgar Studios/Digital Theatre)****

 

By Aashiq

Link: https://www.digitaltheatre.com/consumer/production/ghosts Rent for £7.99 or sign up for monthly subscription

Available until: Unknown

I used to love this play. I loved Henrik Ibsen’s presentation of mental health problems. I thought Oswald had some sort of neurological problem that affected his mental health and eventually led to insanity. Then I grew up a bit and realised that the play was actually about venereal disease and that the neurological problems were a result of the physical problems, and the mental health problems were what anyone would feel in that situation. So I went off it a little bit, not so much because of the subject matter but because it wasn’t the play I thought it was. I loved the idea of the ‘worm-eaten’ mind. That is exactly how mental health can be. Negative thoughts burrow their way into your brain and eat it from the inside out… actually, I won’t continue this totally gross metaphor, but I’m sure you get the idea.