The Lady from the Sea: The drama that signalled a sea change for Ibsen
Ask most people for their image of Ibsen and the caricature will come back of a Scandinavian dramatist steeped in remorseless gloom. So it may come as a surprise to come across a play by Ibsen with a very different atmosphere. The Lady from the Sea (1888) takes place over a few days towards the end of a long summer. Most of the action " in essence, three counterpointed love stories " is set outdoors and the dialogue …