UIS Theatre’s production of Lucas Hnath’s A Doll House Part 2 was fantastic from beginning to end. From the direction of the play to the acting, the UIS Theatre production provided a captivating experience for its audience.

The story features Nora Helmer (Portrayed by Nia Tiller) and her disquieting decision to leave her family and begin a life on her own with no one holding her back. In making this decision, she willingly left her husband and children behind to start her journey to find herself and her own happiness. As the story begins to unfold, we are introduced to a few characters who are very integral to Nora’s story. One of these characters, the Nanny, stayed behind with the husband and children, ultimately becoming their mother figure while Nora Helmer was away. The audience starts to learn more about Nora’s family, her marriage, and her main reasons for leaving. The audience also learns more about Nora’s husband, Torvald.

One of the major plot points of the play was Nora wanting to get her divorce finalized. Fifteen years earlier, she and Torvald agreed to a divorce before she left. Torvald gave Nora his word that he would submit the final divorce documents, which would make them official. Nora believed that the former married couple was divorced, so when she found out 15 years later that he never finalized the divorce, she decided to come back to her old home – the place where she felt trapped and unhappy. She was forced to confront the same trauma she had run away from all those years, including her relationship with Torvald and her children, one of which we met.

As a strong female lead in a setting where women are heavily oppressed, Nora has to figure out how to go about finalizing the divorce and continuing her journey of seeking happiness. This play is very emotional but also has a lot of comedic moments, which helps to balance the drama. The actors and actresses did a phenomenal job portraying the characters who are the focal points in this story. Sometimes, it can be a very solemn journey to find happiness, as is expressed through Nora Helmer’s story and convictions, but that does not mean we should not try to attain it.

For more information regarding the production and play, feel free to check out the UIS Connection page at https://uisconnection.uis.edu/event/8018018 or https://www.sangamonauditorium.org/events/a-dolls-house-part-2-uis-theatre.

To contact the UIS Theatre department, email [email protected].