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‘Ghosts’ of women past

LU theatre to present Ibsen classic this weekend

Maddy Hightower and Dustin Smith rehearsing their lines in the production of Ghosts in the University Theater on Oct. 29. UP photo by Noah Dawlearn
Maddy Hightower and Dustin Smith rehearsing their lines in the production of Ghosts in the University Theater on Oct. 29. UP photo by Noah Dawlearn

Not all ghosts are metaphysical beings. Some take the form of family secrets.

The latest production from the Lamar University department of theatre and dance is Henrik Ibsen’s “Ghosts,” which touches on early feminism at the turn of the 20th century.

“Ghosts” centers around Helene Alving (Caitlin Grammer), who is tormented by her past and the stagnant ideas of the society, director Chloe Sullivan said. The play opens the day before she will be dedicating an orphanage to her dead husband’s memory.

Set in the 1880s, “Ghosts” emphasizes a time when women were finding a voice. Sullivan said Ibsen explored this theme in other plays, too, like “A Doll’s House.”

“The woman in that play slams the door and walks out from her family,” she said. “All his plays for the most part were banned during the time period. (Ibsen’s works are) about women being more than just someone’s sister or someone’s daughter — they become someone.”

Maddy Hightower and Dustin Smith rehearsing their lines in the production of Ghosts in the University Theater on Oct. 29
Maddy Hightower and Dustin Smith rehearsing their lines in the
production of Ghosts in the University Theater on Oct. 29.
UP photo by Noah Dawlearn

The play explores tensions between Helene and men in her life — her former husband, her son and her pastor, Sullivan said. Her best friend, Pastor Menders, finds early feminist books on her couch when he visits.

“There’s a lot of her explaining to her friend, this pastor, a religious man who doesn’t believe these things what she is learning,” Sullivan said. “It’s all about a woman who is educating herself — she has these thoughts, she has these ideas, but they’ve never been confirmed. These writers are saying things she already thinks and feels.”

The audience watches Helene find the right to have opinions about her past marriage, Sullivan said. The pastor counseled her at the time to go back to her abusive husband, but now she finally gets the opportunity to express to him she felt like that was wrong.

This is Sullivan’s senior directing project.

“I find it an honor to be able to direct a piece like this, that I feel touches on women finding their identity and their role in the world outside of their relevance to a man,” she said. “Women finding their voice in today’s society — we’re making a lot of movements towards that right now — it’s very indicative of what women are experiencing today.”

In contrast to the other men, Helene’s son, Oswald, has much more liberal views. Helene sent her son away to keep him away from her husband, Sullivan said.

The prevalent religion in Norway, where “Ghosts” is set, is Christianity, Sullivan said.

“Some (Christian) people still say you shouldn’t leave your husband even if he beats you,” she said. “She didn’t leave her husband and the play shows what the repercussions were.”

Ibsen is considered to be the father of naturalism during a time when most theater was high comedy and big dramatic pieces, Sullivan said.

“Ibsen really took a turn from that,” she said. “Whenever you read or watch these shows, it’s relationships, it’s not these big huge events. He writes realistically and it’s realistic dialogue.”

While the 1880s setting presents challenges, such as developing the period costumes, Sullivan said she thinks they’ve tackled this well.

“My production team has done a great job of creating this world without hindering us in anyway,” she said. “We’re not chaining ourselves to the period.”

The costumes are designed by senior Daelen Fox.

Sullivan said she chose the translation by Richard Err, which she said is more accessible to modern audiences.

“I’ve never read another version that I’ve liked more than this,” she said.

The show runs today through Sunday in the University Theatre, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $7 for LU and LIT students, $10 for faculty, staff, seniors and other students, and $15 for general admission.

For information and tickets, visit www.lamar.edu/theatre.

Story by Eleanor Skelton, UP contributor

Category: News