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| Maaike Laanstra-Corn stars in STC's The Wild Duck (Photo: Gerry Goodstein) |
Chronic Righteousness
Arthur Dobrin once said, "There is always a way to be honest without being brutal." Evidently Gregers Werle didn't get the memo. The brazen character sheds light on unwanted truths in @ShakespeareinDC's The Wild Duck, based on Henrik Ibsen's under-appreciated 1884 play. It's brought to life by a superb cast, most of whom are making their STC debuts: One can only pray they all return (and soon.) Tops amongst them is DC's own Maaike Laanstra-Corn, who is nothing short of stunning as the passionate teenager Hedvig. And she's not alone. Alexander Hurt, Melanie Field and Nick Westrate join her as my favorite theatrical foursome in recent memory.
The Wild Duck is one of those rare dramas (trust me, it's a drama) that manages to rise above its heavy afterscent, holding its audience in an exquisite trance for two and a half hours. At its conclusion, I leapt to my feet in one of my most heartfelt standing ovations of a relatively short life as a critic. It's that good.
Grade: A++ (The extra + is not a typo.)
The Wild Duck runs about 150 minutes with one 15-minute intermission, now through November 16th at Klein Theatre (450 7th Street, NW.) Tickets start at $39, and are available for purchase online or by calling (202) 547-1122.
