Lily Allen Headlines New Hedda Gabler Adaptation Opening 2025

Two highly anticipated adaptations of Henrik Ibsen’s classic play ‘Hedda Gabler’ are generating excitement in the theater world. In South Korea, acclaimed actress Lee Young-ae has returned to the stage after 32 years, captivating audiences with her performance in a modern, minimalist production at the LG Arts Center, which explores themes of entrapment and emotional complexity. Meanwhile, in the UK, Lily Allen is set to star as Hedda in a new reimagined adaptation at Theatre Royal Bath’s Ustinov Studio, directed by Matthew Dunster, with a cast that includes Imogen Stubbs and Ciarán Owens. Both productions aim to connect Ibsen’s timeless psychological insights with contemporary audiences, highlighting the enduring relevance of the play’s examination of societal expectations, personal confinement, and destructive relationships. Allen and Dunster emphasize the play’s resonance with modern women’s struggles for autonomy. The dual staging of ‘Hedda Gabler’ underscores the play’s lasting global appeal and its continued power to provoke discussion and reflection.