Sheffield Theatres’ new season has begun with a new production of Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House. This is a new version adapted by Sheffield favourite Chris Bush, but it should be stated that we went into the show with limited knowledge of previous versions so it’s difficult to comment on what exactly is new. The play centres around Nora who, in theory, has the life that every 19th century wife would wish for – she has a beautiful home, a loving husband who works hard to provide for her, three lovely children and even a housemaid-come-nanny. However, she feels trapped, holding onto secrets that she can’t ever let her husband discover.

Despite being set in 19th century, the show never feels dated. There is a modern sensibility about it, with the dialogue being incredibly natural, and Nora almost feels like a modern woman living in the wrong era. Director Elin Schofield brings out incredibly believable characters and relationships from her company of actors, building the tension continuously. Chiara Stephenson’s costumes ground the piece in the period and her set is simple but effectively shows Nora’s entrapment, giving limited playing space and having the walls floating above the stage.

As quite a character driven piece, where this production really shines is in the phenomenal cast that casting director Bryony Jarvis-Taylor has assembled.

Siena Kelly is outstanding as Nora. She brings to life all sides of the character wonderfully, from the faked cheeriness in front of her husband to her deep pain and struggle in front of friends. The audience are on side with her from the first moment, despite her not being a perfect person, and her performance in the final scene is incredibly impactful.

Tom Glenister does a lovely job as Nora’s husband Torvald. He plays Torvald’s obliviousness very well, whilst also capturing Torvald’s selfishness in the later scenes. Aaron Anthony as Dr Rank has a great chemistry with Kelly and Glenister. He is warm and likeable, leading to the moment when his medical condition declines a little too much to be emotionally hitting. Eleanor Sutton’s Christina is great, with a very believable rapport from a childhood friendship with Kelly’s Nora. Eben Figueirdo’s performance as Krogstad is a delight to watch. After being initially painted as the villain of the piece, the audience quickly warm to him as they learn of the similarities between him and Nora. Mel Lowe completes the cast with a very nice performance as Anna the maid. Whilst she doesn’t get much material to work with, she makes the most of every moment she gets. She also demonstrates her great skill as a pianist.

A Doll’s House is a moving yet funny play that still feels completely relevant today. The Crucible Theatre’s thrust stage is the perfect space for this show and with a truly perfect cast, it should not be missed.

**** Four stars

Reviewed by: Jacob Bush

A Doll’s House plays at Sheffield Crucible until 12 October, with further info here.