John Gabriel Borkman at The Bridge Theatre

I have a historical problem with Ibsen so went to see this one on my own so that no-one had to share any potential pain I was feeling. 

 I noticed there were a lot of individual theatregoers at this performance so I wondered whether I am not the only one with a bit of a mental block, but more likely because there were a lot of seats available. I love the cheap stall seats at The Bridge Theatre though - a pretty good and comfortable view, much better than many far more expensive seats elsewhere. 

 Simon Russell Beale (excellent as always) plays the disgraced alpha-male, angry at his loss of power and status, blaming everyone around him except himself for his downfall, and plotting a glorious return … sound familiar? The two sisters who are the recipients of his blame, and keep the blame game going by also blaming each other are played pitch perfectly by Clare Higgins and Lia Williams. Sebastian De Sousa switched on the charm as feckless son, doted on and fought over by the all the women. 

The performances were all impressive, as you would expect with a cast of this quality and Russell Beale found the laughs in the pettiness and delusion of Borkman. I have to admit that the underlying bleakness and emptiness of it all is a great metaphor for our political times but I could do with fewer pauses. The pace was helped by not having an interval which kept things moving along, although at an hour and 40 minutes it was probably at the top end for sitting very quietly without a loo queue and an icecream. 

I can dimly see the quality here but my main feeling at the end was irritation at men who think they are better than they are, and crossness at the women for fussing about the feckless men who definitely deserved a good ignoring in my view. Still, the women were getting on well again by the end once all the men were gone so maybe that’s a happy ending? Not sure if that’s the moral I was supposed to take, but that’s what I got this evening.  I have just read the reviews and they all seem pretty good, so I clearly have Ibsen blindness!

 In summary, fantastic performances but I just don’t love the play. There are seats still available though if someone wants to tell me what I am missing.