by Henrik Ibsen
Adaptation and Lyrics by Lee G. Williams II
Music by C. Michael Perry
(For performance by College/University, Professional and Community groups)
An Epic, Dialectical rendering of Henrik Ibsen’s “The Wild Duck” – An Integrated Work of Art
Once upon a time ago Lee G. Williams II, who loved all things Brechtian, began to re-imagine one of his favorite Ibsen plays as told by Bertolt Brecht. WILD DUCKS is that reinvention. Through symbolic realism truth is brought under the microscope, and illusion is pitted against reality. With interpolated original songs, slides of images reinforcing or contradicting the shifting moods of the piece, an old man played by a woman, and a familiar story, we have a new play for a new era. In this new version, the audience will come to realize, clearly, that there is more than one Wild Duck on stage, as well as many in the audience.
EPIC/DIALECTICAL THEATRE Wishes to actively teach the audience by means of audio-visual aids. Epic theatre believes that emotion and illusion dull the senses and inhibit learning. This form therefore attempts to decrease any emphasis on emotion by eliminating climax.
EPIC THEATRE Does not want the audience to become emotionally involved with the plot, so distracting comments, songs, and slides have been inserted to interrupt the action of the story.
THE STORY:
Hjalmar Ekdal, a poor retoucher of photographs, lives with his wife, Gina and his daughter, Hedvig. He deludes himself that he is a master inventor and spends his time dabbling in vague ideas while his wife does the actual work in the family. He is supported in his delusions by Hedvig, who adores him and innocently accepts his extravagant estimate of himself. Gregers Werle, the uncompromising idealist, son of a wealthy local businessman, returns to town, rejects his father for his past lies and turns to Hjalmar as a man capable of living the ideal life – Gregers tries to persuade Hjalmar to live by the whole truth. He tells Hjalmar that Hedvig is probably the daughter of Old Werle (his father), for whom Gina Ekdal worked at the time of her marriage. Instead of spurring Hjalmar to new conquests, the truth shatters his faith in his wife and daughter. Confused, but still the staunch idealist, Gregers decides he must go farther in shattering Hjalmar’s illusions. He tries to persuade Hedvig to kill her pet wild duck, which Hjalmar has taken as a symbol for all the exotic and rare things for which he yearns. Grief-stricken by her father’s rejection of her, wishing to prove her love but confused about the kind of sacrifice Gregers demands of her, Hedvig shoots herself, instead.
PLAY DETAILS
- 3M 2W 1breeches part(male character played by a female)
- 1 multi-location setting
- Eclectic costumes
- About 70 minutes
- Order #3170
Now Available!
REVIEWS and COMMENTS:
BYU Daily Universe – November 18, 1976 – (Kristin L. Morrow)
“The play was different… new and exciting … I really enjoyed it … the play made you look intensely at yourself and evaluate your own character … I enjoyed WILD DUCKS more than any of the productions put on so far this year.”
PERUSAL MATERIALS
- Perusal Pages File available below. The PDF file contains the first half of the play along with all background information:
SONG LIST
- Ibsen! Ibsen! The Company
- A Riddle — Dared Gina
- Images Hedvig
- How Does Man Keep Alive? Gregers
- Charade Old Ekdal
- Hjalmar Gregers
- *Truth Werle
- *And Leaves Fall Down Werle
- Change Hjalmar
- The Wild Ducks Gina
- And Leaves Fall Down Hedvig
- And Leaves Fall Down Company
- (*optional)
DEMO SAMPLES: The THREE demo files were made in 1976 during the rehearsals of the original production. Too bad the piano was slightly out of tune.
PURCHASING REHEARSAL MATERIALS:
Any PDF purchased will be emailed to your email address — if you need to provide that to us (not the one on your PayPal account), EMAIL us. CDs will be mailed to a snail mail address. Before we ship any rehearsal material we will need your performance dates, the name of your organization and the theatre where you will perform.
- Script in PDF format — Order #3170a : $25.00 (will be sent to you by email, from which you will be authorized to copy for your production)
- First Performance Amateur/Educational Royalty — Order #3170d : $70.00
- Second Performance Amateur/Educational Royalty — Order #3170e : $60.00
- Piano-Vocal Score — Order #3170c : $25.00 (will be sent to you by email, from which you will be authorized to copy for your production)
- Vocal Book — Order #3170b : $15.00 (will be sent to you by email, from which you will be authorized to copy for your production)
PRODUCTIONS:
- Brigham Young University — 1977
BILLING CREDITS
The following is how the credits should read in all programs, posters, fliers, handbills and other promotional advertising for the show (the ‘Music by’ billing is only to be used if you use the music already written for the show, otherwise give your composers credit.):
WILD DUCKS
Freely Adapted from Henrik Ibsen’s “The Wild Duck”
Script and Lyrics by
Lee G. Williams III
Music by
C. Michael Perry
NOTE: The names of the Playwright(s), Composer, Lyricist, and Bookwriter shall be equal in size, type, coloring, boldness, and prominence. No billing shall appear in type larger or more prominent than the billing to the Authors except for the title of the play.
ALSO:
THIS NOTICE MUST APPEAR IN ALL PROGRAMS, ON ALL POSTERS AND PUBLICITY MATERIALS AND INTERNET ADVERTISING/WEBPAGES FOR THE PLAY:
“WILD DUCKS is presented through special arrangement with Leicester Bay Theatricals. All authorized materials are also supplied by LBT, www.leicesterbaytheatricals.com”
from the catalog of
