In Hedda’s Take on Ibsen, Style Gets in the Way of Substance

'Hedda' Is A Diabolical Remix Of A Classic Cautionary Tale

Prime VideoMany a film could be a scary story if you think about it hard enough. The uber-divisive Saltburn reads a bit like a monster movie funneled through the decadence and debauchery of a gothic thriller. This year’s If I Had Legs I’d Kick You feels like one long panic attack. And Hedda, the latest from writer-director Nia DaCosta, is another psychological hornet’s nest cut from the same unassuming cloth. Hedda is an adaptation of the classi…

In Hedda’s Take on Ibsen, Style Gets in the Way of Substance

Certain plays, love ’em or hate ’em, are useful in the same way standards make a great playground for singers and jazz musicians. A play that everyone knows—or at least knows something about—can be a framework, a jumping-off point for all kinds of imaginative interpretations. The late-19th century Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen has given us two works in particular that actors and directors love to revisit: both A Doll’s House and Hedda Gabler…