Outcast Productions opens 12th season

Fifteen years after she walks out on her husband and three children, Nora Helmer returns in an unexpected sequel and turns their lives upside down.

The Langley-based Outcast Productions is opening its 2024 season with “A Doll’s House, Part 2.” The production begins its run this Friday, March 8 and continues until March 24.

As the continuation of a story originally written in 1879 by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen, “A Doll’s House, Part 2” occupies a unique space in the world of theater. Written in 2017 by American playwright Lucas Hnath, the follow-up play explores the rules of society and gender, a topic also examined in the original work.

“It really was considered a pretty seminal play in the sense that it sort of turned the tables on what theater was at the time because it focused a lot on women,” said Ned Farley, the managing and artistic director of Outcast Productions.

Audience members need not have seen Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House” in order to enjoy this newer work, however. While the sequel can be humorous and witty at times, it also covers serious subject matter, reflecting on the time period – 1894, to be exact – and the rights of women.

“It’s just a very intelligently written play that takes an original classic and sort of brings it to life again in a new way,” Farley said.

A lifelong actor, Patricia Duff said she has wanted to take on the role of Nora ever since she saw a performance of “A Doll’s House, Part 2” in Seattle.

“I loved it,” she said. “I thought it was clever how Lucas Hnath took Henrik Ibsen’s play and kind of continued it in his own imagination and even created a new character who was only a child in the first play and never had any lines, and is now realized as this full human adult 15 years later.”

“A Doll’s House, Part 2” contains only four characters – Nora, her husband Torvald, their daughter Emmy and Anne Marie, the family nanny. Nora, now a successful feminist writer, has come to ask Torvald for a divorce.

Jeff Natter said the role of Torvald is a wonderful character for any actor to sink their teeth into. He recently made a return to acting in his retirement.

“Who among us wouldn’t want the chance to confront someone that we had a terrible breakup with 15 years ago?” Natter said.

Director Amanda Goodwin, who is making her theater debut on Whidbey, said she identified with Torvald in the beginning because of his sense of loss, grief and betrayal. She saw the play as an intervention of sorts, of how a person is confronted by loved ones.

“When we started rehearsing it and we started developing the production and the actors are finding their ways through the characters and connecting with the words and the intentions, I just slowly started to see the genius of this play and how layered it is and how beautiful it is,” Goodwin said.

In choosing the set, costumes and music, Goodwin drew inspiration from Norwegian artists of that time period. The set design is based on the paintings of Edvard Munch, who is best known for “The Scream.” A song written in 1896 by composer Edvard Grieg repeats throughout the production. Bold colors make up the minimalist stage; the script simply calls for a table and a few chairs.

“Everything’s on the table, that coined phrase,” Goodwin said.

Joining Duff and Natter on stage, Aleah Stacey plays Emmy and Shelley Hartle plays Anne Marie.

Natter surmised that Ibsen would probably approve of “A Doll’s House, Part 2.”

“It continues to make some of the important social points that he was raising, but it does so with such wit and comedy and it’s so timeless,” Natter said. “It’s a fitting second act, and I wonder if there will be another part three.”

The production takes place in Outcast Productions’ Black Box Theater on the Whidbey Island Fairgrounds. Tickets cost $22 for adults, and $18 for seniors and students. All seats are $16 on March 17. Performance start times vary by date. Doors open 30 minutes in advance of the performance.

“Don’t wait to buy your ticket because they’re going fast,” Duff advised.

Tickets can be purchased online at outcastproductions.net or reserved in advance by emailing ocp@whidbey.com.

Photo by David Welton Jeff Natter plays Torvald, a character who experiences a sense of loss, grief and betrayal when his wife leaves him to live her own life.

Photo by David Welton Torvald (Jeff Natter) has the chance to confront his wife Nora (Patricia Duff) in “A Doll’s House, Part 2” after her 15-year absence.