With the rise in popularity of TV shows like Game of Thrones and Vikings, it seems it was only a matter of time before Ibsen’s The Vikings of Helgeland was brought to
the stage, here in its London premiere. With
its atmospheric use of rousing orchestral music, authentic fur costumes and rustic
wooden set, this production certainly has the look and feel of an epic drama.
In actuality, the narrative has a much smaller scale. A family drama set in 10th century
Norway, it involves the children of the authoritarian Viking Ornulf (John McLear) –
predominantly his daughter Dagny (Emma Kemp) and adopted daughter Hjordis
(Roseanna Lynch) who steal away with their rivalling warrior lovers. What ensues is a tale of revenge and honour,
a family at war and sorcery.
Despite the onstage fire, the cast don’t quite show the
necessary passion to set the drama ablaze.
The romantic twists of the second half are much needed to inject some excitement
into the narrative, yet they come too late and are easily predicted. The male leads, though intensely performed by
Harry Anton (Sigurd) and Fergus Leathem (Gunnar), are neither aggressive
barbarians nor poetic heroes, whilst Emma Kemp’s Dagny is too naïve and
girlish. As such, it’s Roseanne Lynch
who offers an inspired performance as the proud and manipulative Hjordis who
delves into witchcraft. Lynch truly
commits to the role, bringing some magic to the stage.
Ibsen may have aimed for Shakespearean grandeur with this
play, but it delivers neither the drama nor the poetry of the Bard. The script is verbose and provides little
action, comedy or romance. As such, the
pacing is sluggish, in need of some light relief amongst all the brooding speeches. It’s certainly an ambitious play to take on,
but the cast don’t quite offer believable depth of character.
What director Antonio Ferrara and designer Caitlin Abbott do
nail is a suitably evocative mood. The
minimalist set hints at frosty snowscapes; past legends are shown through mythical
silhouettes; Gunnar’s child is depicted by a truly terrifying looking puppet;
and the cast all perform with Scottish accents – not quite Norwegian but
appropriately gruff and consistent across the board. Yet for a play about brutal warriors,
passionate romance, tragic deaths and a touch of the occult, it all feels a
little bloodless.
3/5
Watch: The Vikings of
Helgeland runs at the Drayton Arms Theatre until 22nd November.
