{"id":4786,"date":"2016-10-13T16:03:27","date_gmt":"2016-10-13T16:03:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leicesterbaytheatricals.com\/?p=4786"},"modified":"2026-02-18T23:29:30","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T23:29:30","slug":"wild-ducks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/leicesterbaytheatricals.com\/?p=4786","title":{"rendered":"WILD DUCKS \u2022 An Epic, Dialectical Rendering of Ibsen’s Play"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Henrik Ibsen<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adaptation and Lyrics by Lee G. Williams II<\/strong><\/p>\n

Music by C. Michael Perry<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

(For performance by College\/University, Professional and Community groups)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

An Epic, Dialectical rendering of Henrik Ibsen\u2019s \u201cThe Wild Duck\u201d \u2013 An Integrated Work of Art
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

THE STORY:<\/strong>
\nHjalmar 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 \u2013 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\u2019s 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\u2019s rejection of her, wishing to prove her love but confused about the kind of sacrifice Gregers demands of her, Hedvig shoots herself, instead.<\/p>\n

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PLAY DETAILS<\/strong><\/h2>\n