If you’ve ever wondered where ex-Christmas trees go, fear not; this year’s batch have been lovingly rehomed on stage at The Courtyard Theatre, where they are providing a novel backdrop for Ibsen’s The Lady from the Sea. Set in the Norwegian fjords, this psychological drama follows Ellida (Nina Moniri), a young stepmother who yearns for the sea with a growing madness. Her kindly husband Dr Wangel is at a loss to explain her illness, and ignorant to the struggles of his daughters as Hilde hungers for affection and Boletta dreams of escaping. Meanwhile, two guests arrive – the girls’ former teacher Arnholm, and the sickly artist Lyngstrand.
Moniri’s performance as Ellida is captivating and disquieting from the start. Entering with bare feet, damp hair and an unsettled manner, she appears quite the untamed ‘mermaid’ to which Wangel refers. The actress’s accent lends an alluring exoticness that suits Ellida and reinforces the idea that she belongs somewhere else.
Ellida’s first puzzling confession begins when she tells Arnholm of a previous lover and her mysterious bond to him. “It is something so absolutely incomprehensible… you would only think I was ill, or quite mad!” she raves, leaving the audience to imagine a hundred scandalous possibilities. It would be easy to overact Ellida’s half-madness, but Moniri strikes an enthralling balance between quiet turmoil and irrepressible outbursts.
Meanwhile, Hilde (Julia Korning) develops a morbid fascination with Lyngstrand and his refusal to admit that he is terminally ill. Korning portrays her character with a twisted playfulness that is oddly endearing. At first impression, Lyngstrand (Paul Giles) is a cheery fellow and amusingly awkward. Yet behind his sweet demeanour lurk chauvinism and a taste for sinister stories. Giles plays the part superbly, charming the audience with comedy before revealing unexpected and disturbing depths to his character.
When Ellida’s lost lover reappears from the sea to claim her, the audience is riveted by the dilemma that she faces – should she stay with Wangel, or go with this stranger and plunge into the unknown? There is a disappointing lack of chemistry between Ellida and her ex-lover, but Moniri’s show of distress is nonetheless impressive. Wangel (Glen Speers) and Arnholm struggle for answers late into the night, and Speers gives a touching performance as he tosses and turns in his chair.
The play ends optimistically. Knowing that Ellida can never be whole without her freedom, Wangel releases her; but, faced with the power to choose the unknown, Ellida realises that she can also renounce it, and she decides to stay with her family. Yet clinging to the happy ending – much like the proverbial barnacle – is Boletta’s decision to marry Arnholm, whom she sees as her ticket out of there. Her unhappy compromise hides behind Ellida’s newfound freedom like a bad hangover.
The Courtyard’s production is thoughtful, intimate, and sure to have you on the edge of your seat. A thoroughly enjoyable performance.
The Lady from the Sea is showing at The Courtyard Theatre from 9th to 20th January.
