Oscar-winning actress Alicia Vikander is looking forward to returning to the stage for the first time in 17 years. She will be in a new production of Henrik Ibsen’s classic play, The Lady from the Sea. Vikander won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the 2015 movie The Danish Girl. She’ll now fully inhabit the role of Ellida, the free-spirited, ocean-obsessed daughter of a lighthouse keeper. This is her first UK stage performance and her first foray into theatre since childhood.
Vikander’s absence from the stage has been particularly successful, as she has focused on a burgeoning film career. She’s headlined international blockbusters such as Tomb Raider and Ex Machina. She was only 19 years old when she last performed, so her comeback is even more monumental. Now, almost 20 years after her first performance, Vikander says she’s as thrilled — and terrified — as ever to be returning to the stage. “I am super excited and wonderfully nervous,” she stated, reflecting on the emotional journey ahead.
In The Lady from the Sea, Vikander’s character, Ellida, finds herself caught in a complex web of love and obligation. She is married to a Norwegian physician, playing a character in the 1880s that struggled with issues that still affect us today in modern society. Vikander observes that all the great classics, particularly the plays of Ibsen, deal with subjects that echo in modern society. This visionary outlook is shaping her process as she begins to bring Ellida to life on stage.
This production will be directed by the world-famous filmmaker Simon Stone. He is the designer behind both The Dig and The Daughter, both of which are stunning works. Vikander will begin developing the character through a workshopping process with Stone in the next few weeks. Both artists are excited to work together to dive deeper into the complexities of the play. Director James Stone’s sharp, insightful direction provides a new perspective on Ibsen’s work. This new approach invigorates Vikander as she returns to the stage for the first time in years.
Her return to the theatre will be a significant personal milestone for Vikander. It provides audiences an opportunity to witness her astonishing range as an actress. Ever since winning the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for The Danish Girl, Vikander has established a varied career. Her accomplishments testify to her extraordinary range as an actress. It’s no surprise that with powerful performances behind her, she has consistently received accolades from critics and audiences, making her the leading lady in Hollywood today.
Even with her vast experience in front of the camera, Vikander admits there are different challenges theatre brings. The immediacy and intimacy of live performances differ significantly from film, where edits and takes can influence the final product. This return to the big screen heralds thrilling new directions for Vikander’s artistry. Then there’s the intimate way she’ll directly engage with audiences, as she plays it night after night.
That capacity to be free draws Vikander to the role of Hilde Wangel in Ibsen’s The Lady from the Sea. This only further proves her talent for embodying difficult roles. She looks forward to this double engagement with great anticipation. Looking back on her development as an actress since her last stint on stage, she’s pleased with her progress. She joked about being “25 still,” while nearing 40, a reflection of her bubbly, infectious energy and childlike wonder for her art.
Further, Vikander’s musings on classic plays speak to her conviction in their timelessness. Protagonists of love, sacrifice and searching identity ring clear and true in this adaptation as they do in Barnes’ original. Second, they are a much-needed provocation of all cultural discourse today. The actress aims to bring these elements to life through her portrayal of Ellida, offering audiences a fresh lens through which to view Ibsen’s masterpiece.
Acclaimed actress Alicia Vikander is returning to her theatrical roots. She’s turned anticipation into a fine art, sending thrill-seekers into the night with her blistering version of The Lady from the Sea. She’s committed to making a return to live stage performance after decades long hiatus. This decision represents her artistic evolution and her personal development.
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