The W
ild Duck

The trickier the situation seems to be, the less likely you are to believe the facts, and the more urgently the “truth” will be simultaneously demanded and denied. But can the complexity of reality really be broken down into true or false? And, when you’re looking for clarity, does such a thing exist?

The human necessity of hiding yourself away from the impositions of life, behind the lies and simple truths, is one of the key themes explored by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. In “An Enemy of the People”, a scientist makes the discovery that the water at the local spa baths is contaminated. With great persistence and without any regard for the consequences, he insists that the business the town relies on must close immediately. In “The Wild Duck” a family lives their little life and raises a child with a carefully concealed lie. Doesn’t it suit everyone? What happens when the discovery of secrets leads to ruin and destruction? And who has the right to impose their view of things in the name of self-appointed morals?

In the character of scientist Gregers Werle, who decisively rebels against his circumstances, Thorleifur Örn Arnarsson interweaves both Ibsen dramas. In surreal visual worlds, the Icelandic director creates a complex, ambiguous kaleidoscope, a radical search for sense and truth.

premiere 9th november 2021, thalia theatre