IBDP Year 2 English Learners Reimagine Ibsen

Our DP 2 English Language and Literature learners recently staged a bold adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, set in 1879. The production was transformed into a Victorian-era talk show, complete with period-style advertisements as “sponsors.” This inventive format allowed the characters to address the play’s themes in a candid, conversational style while still rooted in the social realities of the time.

At its heart, the performance explored the constraints of the Napoleonic Code, which forbade women from taking loans without their husband’s consent — a legal barrier central to Nora’s struggles in the play. Through witty dialogue, scandalous revelations, and pointed exchanges, the learners highlighted how issues of money, marriage, power, and freedom remain relevant today.

The result was a daring and thought-provoking reimagining of Ibsen’s classic, showcasing the creativity and critical insight of our learners.