For the 11th time in 15 years, a Royal
Dramatic Theatre of Sweden production directed by Ingmar Bergman
is coming to BAM.
That’s the good news.
The bad news? It looks like Bergman’s staging of Ibsen’s "Ghosts,"
June 10-14 at the BAM Harvey Theater, will also be his last.
At least that’s what actress Pernilla August, who plays the pivotal
role of Mrs. Alving in "Ghosts," believes.
"I think this is the last one for him," August said
matter-of-factly from her home in Sweden. "I really think
he’s finally stopping this time … at least that’s what he’s
told us."
If that last comment seemed to leave the door open for a change
of heart by the great director, August didn’t think so.
"He’s told us that several other times over the years, but
he just kept right on working," she explained. "But
this time I believe him, and you can really feel it in the show.
I can feel a ’goodbye’ in it, but it’s very hard to explain why."
When pressed, the actress said, "You can really feel things
from other plays that Bergman has done in it."
Bergman issued this statement, "At 85 years of age and after
60 working years, 126 dramatic events, 50 films for both TV and
screen, 49 radio plays and a number of books and scripts, I feel
that I can bring my career to an end. And I wish to complete
it while I can walk out of the theater on my own. I shouldn’t
have to be carried out."
The famed Bergman overhauled the entire play, to August’s delight.
"It’s great," she said with a laugh. "He’s added
things by Strindberg which fit very well, and there’s even a
Bergman scene in it – wait until you see it; it’s one of the
most beautiful scenes in the whole play. He has been very free
with how he adapted and translated it. But you can do that kind
of thing when you’re 85 years old."
Ibsen’s "Ghosts" is a difficult play to mount, as a
mediocre off-Broadway production last fall starring Amy Irving
demonstrated. Written in 1881, "Ghosts" was considered
an affront to good taste right from its premiere because it tackled
such subjects as incest, syphilis, euthanasia and church corruption.
"[Ghosts] is still very relevant today, because all of the
problems they deal with, we still deal with today ourselves –
it’s truly how we live today," said August. "Ibsen
himself called it a ’life lie,’ when you actually live a lie
during your whole life. Also, the issue of syphilis in the play
is so much like AIDS, so it’s not hard for me to understand its
continuing relevance to all of us."
August also discussed the innately depressing subject matter
that permeates "Ghosts," perhaps more so than any of
Ibsen’s other dramas.
"We do what we can with the material, and we try to get
the best of it," she says. "Of course, it’s a very
sad story, there’s no denying that. But even sadness can be good
for the audience to see sometimes."
That sadness is personified by Mrs. Helen Alving, who is haunted
by the ghosts of her past – specifically her son Osvald, who
has returned home to die of the syphilis he inherited from his
father, Mrs. Alving’s late husband. Osvald’s return opens fresh
wounds for the widow, who must reconcile a past that she would
rather keep hidden.
For August, playing Mrs. Alving is a chore in itself, not unlike
the major role she played in Bergman’s production of Schiller’s
"Maria Stuart," which wowed BAM audiences last spring.
"Playing Mrs. Alving is really hard to do; it’s really draining
to perform, but it’s also wonderfully cathartic to do it onstage
night after night," she said.
"Ibsen’s ’Ghosts’ is more like a chamber play," said
August. "’Maria Stuart’ was this big ship, and ’Ghosts’
is a small boat. It’s wonderful to work in an Ibsen play with
Bergman directing. I did [Ibsen’s] ’Doll’s House’ for Bergman
about 15 years ago, and these two plays are my most important
works with Bergman. There’s a connection between them, as well
– Bergman told me that she’s very much like Nora’s sister, but
she doesn’t slam the door at the end."
The Swedish troupe recently performed the play to raves in London,
after doing it in Stockholm for many months before that.
The actress loves returning to BAM – this is her fourth appearance
in a Bergman play here – she admits that that affection comes
with a caveat.
"I’m very happy to be presenting ’Ghosts’ to people in Brooklyn,
and I’m looking forward to doing it for the last time,"
August said. "But I wish I could come to New York and be
free someday. I always go there just to perform."
Royal Dramatic Theatre of Sweden’s production
of "Ghosts" runs June 10-14, at 7:30 pm, at the BAM
Harvey Theater, 651 Fulton St. at Rockwell Street in Fort Greene.
The play is in Swedish with simultaneous headphone translation.
Limited tickets remain at $55 and $30. For tickets, call (718)
636-4100 or visit the Web site at bam.org.
