Clement Scott's scathing review of Henrik Ibsen's 'Ghosts' in 1891 reflects the intense backlash the play faced upon its release. With public outrage due to its frank discussions of taboo topics like venereal disease and incest, Ibsen's work stood at odds with contemporary sensibilities. Despite this, the play's haunting themes and moral inquiries challenged audiences then and continue to do so today. Jack O'Brien's recent production, via a straightforward interpretation, raises questions about how to honor such a controversial piece without diminishing its original impact.
"An open drain; a loathsome sore unbandaged; a dirty act done publicly; a lazar-house with all its doors and windows open ... Gross, almost putrid indecorum ..."
"How do you live up to all that? How can Ghosts continue, if not to send us into spasms of offense, then still to electrify and unnerve, to shock not our delicate constitutions but our consciences?"
Collection
[
|
...
]