Lucio '08 shines as a 19th century Regina George

The play is a thesis production by Irene Lucio '08, who also plays the title role. It opens in the elegantly furnished home of Hedda and her new husband, the ambitious medieval historian George Tesman. It is immediately apparent that Hedda is deeply unsatisfied with her life and with her husband, whom she does not love. When her naive former schoolmate Thea Elvsted, played with skillful sincerity by Alex Ripp '08, arrives, Hedda is eager to hear her secrets, despite the fact that in school, Hedda had teased her mercilessly. When she hears that Elvsted has collaborated on a career-making manuscript with Hedda's old flame, Eilert Loevborg, played by Dan Kublick '08, Hedda is consumed by jealousy. She bitterly ponders how a simple woman like Thea could hold so much influence over a man who was once intoxicated by her own more glamorous self. Displeased, Hedda orchestrates a tragic fate for Elvsted and Loevborg, but when all does not turn out her way, she is driven to drastic measures.

Lucio portrays Hedda with enough complexity that her character resists a simple black-and-white interpretation. The audience can see her as a fun-loving, free-spirited woman who is constrained by society or as certifiably insane. Lucio's performance resembles Rachel McAdams' caricature of a high school prom queen in the movie "Mean Girls," mixed with Angelina Jolie's portrayal of a mental patient in "Girl, Interrupted." We are unable to take our eyes off Hedda - she is powerful, complex and commanding - but in the end, it is simply impossible to identify with such a heinous you-know-what.

Kublick almost steals the show as Eilert Loevborg, a brilliant scholar with a history of alcoholism and a penchant for loose women. Kublick's performance is captivating, and his character instantly wins the audience's sympathy and support. The tangled relationship between Loevborg and Hedda, each haunted by their own demons, is the backbone of the production. When Kublick and Lucio are on stage together, the scene crackles with chemistry, and the play comes to life.

The actors all work well as an ensemble, allowing Lucio to shine brightly in the title role without overshadowing her fellow cast members. Becca Foresman '10 brings humor and warmth to the role of the saintly Aunt Tesman, the perfect, selfless foil to Lucio's self-absorbed Hedda. Tyler Crosby '09 eerily portrays Hedda's bumbling husband like a wide-eyed, airheaded frat boy, completely blinded to his wife's thinly veiled cruelty. Rob Grant '08 is wonderful as the stately Judge Brack, who eventually pushes Hedda over the edge with a taste of her own medicine.

The costumes are realistic for the period but also reflect the personalities of each character. Every detail has been attended to, from Judge Brack's dressy spats to Hedda's elegant corset, which we see briefly during a scene in which she is dressed by her maid Berthe, played by the winsome Heather May '10.

The stage is surrounded on three sides by a shallow block of chairs - a cozy twist on theatre in the round. This longer stage allows the well-furnished set to add dimensionality and flexibility to the action in a way that is impossible in more traditional productions. The characters take advantage of the entire set, allowing all three segments of the audience to experience a sense of intimacy with the action. Lighting director Penny Enomoto '08 cleverly uses light to create moods and the illusion of a large window, which serves as a metaphor for the darkness and claustrophobia that closes over Hedda.

Ibsen's original stage direction called for the play's violent conclusion to be played behind a curtain, implied only by sound effects. Yet the director, Tim Vasen, a lecturer in the Program in Theater and Dance, makes a bold move and allows the audience to see the critical moment on stage. He uses the set's dimensionality to bring the final scene to life with a realism rarely attempted in this type of theater, and the result is both shocking and deeply satisfying.

Vasen's production is definitely worth the walk to 185 Nassau. The production is thoughtful, elegant and gritty, and Lucio's performance preserves all the complexity and drama of Ibsen's classic mean girl.