Ghosts or those who return-Henrik Ibsen in Arcola Theatre

It maybe hard to belive for today's liberated public that Ghosts by Henrik Ibsen had been one of many forbeeden plays at the end of the 19th century. The refreshed by Rebecca Lenkiewicz text presented in Arcola Theatre have still the power to ask moral questions however not by a shocking indecency which was the reason to ban it in the past. Incest, veneral disease and eithanasia had been forbidden topics and by making it public Ibsen done 'dirty deed in public' as one of English commentators said at the time. For the Victorian times duty and idealism were the pilars of the society even when they needed a sacriface, Ibsen however was unmasking the hypocricy and pretence, violence and manipulation behind it. Thanks to works like 'Doll's house' the social revolution took place and today's public can enjoy the freedom of expression.

The issues Ibsen exposed over 100 years ago return in their modern versions. The crises of family values, overindulgance in a holow entertainment, euthanasia, ASBO, CCTV...are the present and burning questions.We have our freedom but how well we use is a totally diffrent problem.