Nora: A Doll’s House at the Royal Exchange

Stef Smith’s sharp three-Nora adaptation of Henrik Ibson’s masterpiece, A Doll’s House plays at the Royal Exchange this spring.

Spanning one hundred years, the action is split across three different time periods and shines a light on monumental feminist gains during periods of economic hardship.

Set in 1918, 1968 and 2018, three contrasting women take on the persona of Nora (Jodie McNee, Kirsty Rider and Yusra Warsama) – encompassing a century of women’s liberation – from voting rights to contraception and modern-day life. Cleverly contrasting the experiences of three distinct and remarkable women, this powerful domestic thriller packs a firm punch.

Smith’s version is rooted in women’s liberation, exploring how tightly bound women still are by social convention.

Nora Helmer strives to be the perfect wife, homemaker and mother but inside she is close to breaking point. Finding herself at a painful crossroad – as secrets and lies rip to the fore, Nora must make a radical decision. When A Doll’s House was first performed, it shocked audiences with its stark depiction of female married life – now Smith’s version is rooted in women’s liberation, exploring how tightly bound women still are by social convention.

Cleverly contrasting the experiences of three distinct and remarkable women, this powerful domestic thriller packs a firm punch.

The reverberation of Nora’s slam of the door in Ibsen’s original text seems to have echoed down through the ages. And in this particular production, Smith has selected three particular times in history that are charged with significance for women. 1918 signals the year of suffrage; the Abortion Act was passed in the UK in 1968 and 2018 saw the height of the #MeToo movement.

Directed by Bryony Shanahan, we’re thrilled that this gripping exploration of female empowerment launches the Royal Exchange’s phenomenal 2022 programme.