Fed: STC's Hedda Gabler heading to New York

AAP General News (Australia)
12-09-2004
Fed: STC's Hedda Gabler heading to New York

SYDNEY, Dec 9 AAP - The Sydney Theatre Company's production of Hedda Gabler, starring
Cate Blanchett and Hugo Weaving, will play a season in New York in 2006.

The STC received the invitation from Joseph Melillo, executive producer at the prestigious
Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) this week.

"We are thrilled to accept Joe Melillo's invitation to play a season at his prestigious
theatre," STC artistic director Robyn Nevin said.

"I look forward to revisiting our production with the same wonderful actors and offering
what we have to New York audiences."

Hedda Gabler played a sellout nine-week season for the STC in Sydney from July to September
this year.

Nevin directed the production which was adapted from Henrik Ibsen's original for the
STC by Blanchett's husband Andrew Upton.

All original cast members - Blanchett, Weaving, Justine Clark, Aden Young, Anthony
Weigh, Julie Hamilton and Annie Byron - will reprise their roles for the New York production.

In the play, Hedda Gabler (Blanchett) returns from her honeymoon with Jorgen Tesman
(Weigh), contemplating life in a house she never wanted.

Feeling cornered, Gabler orchestrates the fates of those close to her - confidante
Judge Brack (Weaving), ex-classmate Thea Elvsted (Clarke) and soul mate Eilert Lovborg
(Young).

However, her interference rebounds on her with shattering results.

Hedda Gabler will be the second STC production to travel to New York after the company
performed The White Devil for Melillo in 2001.

"This exciting production of Hedda Gabler is an extraordinary theatre experience that
I'm eager to share with our audiences," Melillo said.

Melillo saw Hedda Gabler in Sydney in August and details of the New York tour were
finalised this week.

The production will open on March 1, 2006, for a four-week season of 28 performances
in the 875-seat BAM Harvey Theatre.

BAM has hosted some of the most esteemed theatre and dance companies from around the
world, including work by Peter Brook, Ingmar Bergman, Declan Donnellan, Robert Wilson
and Pina Bausch.

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