Workshop # 1 Hedda Gabler

Oslo National Academy of the Arts January 2nd till 11th 2019W

The film shows Act 4, scene 4 of Henrik Ibsens drama Hedda Gabler, in six versions. In each version Hedda Gabler is changing her costume, but the other three actors are not. The actors are trying to perform the scene as similar in all six versions. The set is unchanged. After the recording, the actors are interviewed on how the costume influenced them

TRAILER: Please view trailer (1:45 minutes) here: https://vimeo.com/339985606

FULL VERSION: For full version (1 hour, 19 minutes): https://vimeo.com/564340131

The film has been produced by support by the Norwegian Program for Artistic Research (DIKU) and Oslo National Academy of the Arts. It can be viewed for free for educational or research purpose. The film cannot be published or purchased by a third party.

The film is available for free in higher resolution, for screening in schools/ university, with educational purposes. Please contact Christina Lindgren: chrilind@khio.no

CREDITS

Hedda Gabler: Birgitte Larsen

Thea Elvstedt: Marte Solem

Jørgen Tesmann: Endre Hellestvedt

Judge Brack: Martin Karelius Østensen

Film: Vibeke Heide/ Sentimeter Film

Costume design: Christina Lindgren

Sound: Edvard Myhre

Costume Agency Research Team: Christina Lindgren and Sodja Lotker

Research assistance Workshop #1 Yuka Oyama and Ida Falck Øien

Research Reference Group Knut Ove Arntzen, Theo Barth, Mikkel B.Tin, Trond Lossius

Filmed on location in Oslo January 2019A

About Workshop # 1 Method.

Our starting point was: Costume is a dynamic entity of Body + Garment + Action + Context.

Four actors performed the four same characters six time. The three actors had the same garments each time, but the actress performing Hedda Gabler, was wearing different garments each time. The actors performed one scene from Henrik Ibsen´s play Hedda Gabler. The scene as performed by the actors as much the same, as possible, each time. The context, – with space, stage design, light, temperature, presence of team members, etcetera, was as much the same as possible each time. The scene was recorded in one take, from the same angle each time. After each take of the scene, the main actress was interviewed, separately and the three other actors was interviewed as a group.

Preparations for the filming were five full day rehearsals for discussing the concept of the play and rehearsing the scene. Costume design and fittings were done. Costume were used by the three actors in the rehearsals. The actress performing Hedda Gabler, changed her garments just before each scene was recorded.

The scene is a part of Act 4 of the drama.

This has happened when Act 4, scene 1 starts: Hedda has just returned to her villa in Oslo from her honeymoon. Her husband, Georg Tesman, is young, hard-working and aspires for a position as a professor of culture history at the university.

George’s academic rival, is Eilert Løvborg, who is a writer, but also a recovered alcoholic. Hedda and Eilert are former lovers. Hedda’s old schoolmate, Thea Elvsted, has helped Eilert, so he shows signs of rehabilitation and has just published a bestseller in culture history.

The critical success of Eilerts publication makes Eilert a threat to George as a competitor for the university professorship. George and Hedda are financially overstretched. Eilert has spent the last few years working on what he considers to be his masterpiece.

Despite his drinking problem, Hedda encourages Eilert to accompany George and his associate, Judge Brack, to a party. George returns home from the party and reveals that he found the complete manuscript of Eilert, which the latter lost while drunk. He leaves the manuscript in Hedda’s possession.

When Eilert sees Hedda and Thea, he tells them that he has deliberately destroyed the manuscript. Thea is mortified, and it is revealed that it was the joint work of Eilert and herself. Hedda says nothing to contradict Eilert or to reassure Thea. Hedda later encourages Eilert to commit suicide, giving him a pistol. Hedda burns the manuscript and tells George she has destroyed it to secure their future. Hedda tells Georg that she is pregnant.

EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS where the long version has been screened:

Oslo National Academy of the Arts: Bachelor- and Master-students of Costume Design and Fashion Design

Oslo National Academy of the Arts: Bachelor- and Master-students of Opera Department

Oslo National Academy of the Arts: Bachelor- and Master-students of Theatre Department

Stockholm University of the arts