Feminism, modernism and scandal: Winnipeg's Ibsenfest celebrates 'father of modern drama'

There aren't very many long-dead Norwegian playwrights who have inspired recent Broadway hits.

In fact, that list really has only one name — Henrik Ibsen.

The playwright often hailed as "the father of modern drama" is the focus of this year's Master Playwright Festival, which officially kicks off Tuesday night. The annual winter festival, sponsored by Winnipeg's Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, gives local theatre companies a chance to dive deep into works of one writer.

Given his importance in the dramatic world, the surprise isn't that Ibsen would be the focus of the festival, but rather that it's only in the festival's 19th year that he's being honoured.

Ibsen (1828-1906) is credited with bringing the theatre into the modern age in the 19th century, moving past melodrama with plays that explored human psychology and probed deeply into societal convention, hypocrisy, and then scandalous topics like syphilis (in his play Ghosts, famously panned in 1904 by Winnipeg critic Charles Handscomb as an "unwholesome, degrading [and] disgusting" play that offended the "wholesome prairie atmosphere."

Perhaps more important, though — and speaking to his continuing relevance — is that Ibsen was one of the first playwrights to put women's stories centre stage. A century and a half before #MeToo, and decades before the Privy Council of the British government, then Canada's highest court, ruled that women are, indeed, "persons," Ibsen wrote about the lives of women in groundbreaking plays like A Doll's House (1879) and Hedda Gabler (1890).

While his own plays continue to be performed regularly around the world, his influence lingers in modern drama, as evidenced by the success of A Doll's House, Part 2 — a 2017 Tony Award-winning play that won rave reviews on Broadway (and which will be presented by Royal MTC as part of the festival, along with the original A Doll's House).

Ibsen's continued influence can also be seen in this year's Master Playwright Festival, which will feature 13 full productions of plays by, and inspired by, Ibsen.

There are also staged readings, a radio play and a film presentation during the festival, which officially begins Tuesday (though the U of Manitoba's Black Hole Theatre got an early start with their production of Ibsen's surreal Peer Gynt).

Here are a few productions to watch for:

An Enemy of the People (Looking Glass Productions): Winnipeg playwright Marc A. Moir adapts Ibsen's classic tale of the conflict between individual and state. (Feb. 8-17).

Eyolf (zone41 theatre): A one-night-only staged reading of a new adaptation of Ibsen's Little Eyolf by Winnipeg playwright Matthew Handscombe, directed by Royal MTC associate artistic director Krista Jackson, which moves the setting of Ibsen's play to a Canadian cottage and modernizes it with themes of gender identity and disability (Feb. 10).

Ghosts: After Ibsen (Tara Players): Ibsen's original (and scandalous) Ghosts will be presented by Winnipeg Mennonite Theatre (Feb. 6-13), as will this modern adaptation by Irish writer Thomas Kilroy (Feb. 1-9).

Hedda Gabler (Echo Theatre) and Hedda, Reimagined (Vault Theatre): Hedda Gabler is one of Ibsen's most important plays — and the lead character is still considered one of the theatre's great roles for women. So a pair of Heddas, both running in the cozy confines of Dalnavert Museum, are welcome at the festival.

You can see Echo Theatre's production of the original with an all-star cast (Jan. 31-Feb. 17) or Hedda, Reimagined (Jan. 31-Feb. 17), an "immersive reimagining" from director and playwright Frances Koncan, which features music by local band Yes We Mystic.

Letters to a Father (The Sons of Ibsen): Henrik Ibsen's influence wasn't just on the world of theatre — he had a son who went on to become prime minister of Norway. He also had a son out of wedlock who ended up as an impoverished blacksmith. Winnipeg playwright Leigh-Anne Kehler imagines their letters to their famous dad (Jan. 31-Feb. 17).

Little Dead Lady (Naked Theatre Productions): One of the more intriguing adaptations at the festival, this play mixes bits from some of Ibsen's lesser-known plays with dance and movement to explore the lives of three young women. (Jan. 30-Feb. 2)

Ibsenfest officially begins on Tuesday, Jan. 29 with the "Introducing Ibsen" lecture at Winnipeg's Millennium Library at 7 p.m. Festival productions continue at venues around the city until Feb. 16, with RMTC's production of A Doll's House, Part 2 following from Feb. 20 to March 6.