Free Thinking

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Free Thinking: Ibsen

Ibsen

BBC Radio 4 - Free Thinking, Ibsen

New interpretations of the Norwegian dramatist's plays by Lucinda Coxon and Steve Waters.

Anne McElvoy brings together dramatists who have been looking afresh at plays written by Ibsen (1828-1906) Lucinda Coxon and Steve Waters with actor Kåre Conradi and Mark Lawson.

The individual versus the masses is at the heart of Enemy of the People.  A bank manager speculating with his customers' money is the story told in John Gabriel Borkman.  Lucinda Coxon and Steve Waters have written new versions of these Ibsen plays.  They join Norwegian actor and director Kåre Conradi, theatre critic and writer Mark Lawson and presenter Anne McElvoy to explore the ways in which Ibsen's characters and dramas resonate now.  

John Gabriel Borkman starring Simon Russell Beale, Lia Williams and Clare Higgins runs at the Bridge Theatre, London September 24th to November 26th. 

Drama on 3 scripted by Steve Waters will be on air early in 2023.
Kåre Conradi has established The Norwegian Ibsen Company which has brought productions to the Print Room at the Coronet Theatre in London. Conradi is an actor and a lifetime employee at The National Theatre of Norway.

Producer: Ruth Watts

On BBC Sounds and the Free Thinking programme website you can find previous discussions about 
Adapting Molière  https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00138km
John McGrath's Scottish drama https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0017tzt
Shakespeare https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p06406hm 
Lorraine Hansbery https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06tpdh3
and other key thinkers and writers on morality like Hannah Arendt/ Iris Murdoch/ Thomas Mann in our landmarks collection https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01jwn44

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