'Hedda Gabler' review: Katie Holmes taps into the perversion - Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
by Charles McNultyFebruary 25, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
In a bold new adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s *Hedda Gabler*, Katie Holmes delivers a standout performance as the titular character in a production directed by Barry Edelstein at San Diego’s Old Globe. The play, reimagined by Erin Cressida Wilson, maintains its late 19th-century setting but sharpens the dialogue and pacing for a modern audience. While the scenic decor and costumes evoke Ibsen’s bourgeois Norway, the production leans into the raw emotional conflicts that make *Hedda Gabler* a timeless exploration of power dynamics, identity, and societal constraints.
Holmes portrays Hedda as a trapped and tormented woman, married to the conventional George Tesman (played by Charlie Barnett) for security rather than love. Trapped in a stifling marriage and surrounded by meddling relatives like her aunt Julie, who insists on overseeing every aspect of her life, Hedda channels her frustration into manipulation and destructive behavior. Her interactions with characters like Judge Brack, whom she taunts with her firearms collection, and her former lover Ejlert Lovborg (Alexander Hurt), now under the influence of his reforming acquaintance Thea Elvsted (Celeste Arias), reveal a complex mix of desire, resentment, and volatility.
The production’s strength lies in its ability to highlight Ibsen’s themes of female agency, societal expectations, and the consequences of unfulfilled ambition. By compressing the narrative and focusing on the visceral clashes between characters, Wilson and Edelstein create a taut and intense experience that stays true to the play’s core while offering fresh insights. The decision to keep the setting firmly rooted in Ibsen’s Norway underscores the universal relevance of Hedda’s struggle—a woman trapped by her choices and the society that limits them.
For readers interested in theater and cultural adaptations, this production matters because it demonstrates how classic works can be reimagined for contemporary audiences while preserving their original intent. Katie Holmes’ portrayal of
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Originally published on Los Angeles Times on 2/25/2026