Hedda Gabler

Just married. Buried alive. Hedda longs to be free.

Widely considered a cornerstone of modern theatre, Hedda Gabler is a canonised masterpiece of the 19th century, played across stages globally and storming Broadway more than 20 times.

Hedda is stifled in a world of sterile perfection and suffocating expectations, but beneath the surface, she is a powder keg of desire and defiance. When an old flame resurfaces with everything she’s been denied - passion, purpose, power - Hedda spirals into a game of seduction and sabotage.

In this retelling, Henrik Ibsen's work has been channelled through the mind of Patrick Marber, making the story approachable for modern-day audiences. Gone are the ruffs, corsets and bluster. In this gladiatorial reimagining, we are left with nothing but seven actors on a stage - but not everyone will come out alive.

This pressure-cooker story is about the illusion of freedom, the battle for social superiority, and the unbearable burden of losing control.

Hedda Gabler in this version was first presented in the Lyttelton auditorium of the National Theatre, London, on 5 December 2016.

This is the second time Sedos has performed a play by Ibsen, following A Doll’s House in January 2018. It is also the second play that Jonny Harding-Cooper has directed for Sedos, following The Effect in 2023.

PAST REVIEWS

"Dark, bold and devastating. This Hedda is a triumph" – Mail on Sunday
"A Hedda unlike any I have seen. Devastating" – What’s On Stage
"Ferociously dynamic" – London Evening Standard
"Seething with sexuality, darkness and humour" – Radio Times
"A version that will have a life beyond this production" – The Guardian

Hedda Gabler plays at the Bridewell Theatre from 8-12 July 2025. The box office will open soon.

Content warnings: contains strong language, references and depictions of suicide, mentions of rape and the use of a replica firearm.

SPECIAL OFFER: book any four (or more) shows in Sedos’ 2025 Bridewell season in one transaction and receive 25% off. The discount will be applied automatically at the online box office.

This amateur production of Hedda Gabler, in a version by Patrick Marber, is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals Ltd. on behalf of Samuel French Ltd. www.concordtheatricals.co.uk