Word: svanhild
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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Vastly unlike most Ibsen in both plot and style, Love's Comedy traces the romance between the young poet Falk (Adam Swift) and the rebellious and idealistic Svanhild (Caroline Isenberg). Around them, innumerable friends and relatives are becoming engaged--and, soon thereafter, seeing all the light and joy drain from their relationships. Falk spends most of his time vehemently denouncing these engagements and marriage in general, but soon finds himself falling prey to his own emotions Svanhild, for her part, in choosing between Falk and another suitor, must weigh the conflicting claims of freedom, a "perfect" and fleeting romance...
Unfortunately, these themes unfold amid only the barest trappings of dramatic action. Falk, Svanhild, and their social circle, consisting of the various engaged couples and suitors plus an assortment of guests and maiden aunts, simply sit around philosophizing and arguing in a sort of endless garden party. Some pleasure derives from the garden designed by Fred Weber, and intricate structure of terraced platforms and bridges on which speakers leap about, separating and meeting again. But no amount of creative tinkering with platforms can convert these endless wranglings over marriage versus love, friendship versus faithfulness, adventure versus obligation, into a satisfying...
...play has comes largely from Adam Swift's vivid and energetic portrayal of Falk. Swift's stage presence and timing, even on the lamest dialogue, are remarkable; they lend enough conviction and pathos to his love affair to set the show eventually lumbering on its way. Caroline Isenberg as Svanhild, though more subdued and occasionally sappy in her delivery, ably matches him; the endless philosophical platitudes the two exchange, though hopelessly unworkable as drama, occasionally take on the magic of the characters' passion...
Fortunately, the only other character called upon for extended philosophical declamation is equally strong. Peter Sagal as Guldstad, the considerably older rival for Svanhild's attentions, acquits himself beautifully in the play's crucial monologue, an analysis of marriage which on Friday night clocked in at a solid ten minutes...