Charles Dance Remembers... Little Eyolf

• Documentary
• Talk

Episode overview

Across the years, the BBC adaptations of plays by Henrik Ibsen have attracted stellar casts - Judi Dench and Kenneth Branagh in Ghosts, Ingrid Bergmann in Hedda Gabler, Trevor Eve and Juliet Stevenson in A Doll’s House. The 1981 production of Little Eyolf was no different, featuring Diana Rigg, Anthony Hopkins, Peggy Ashcroft and, in one of his first major television roles, Charles Dance. Charles tells us why actors are constantly attracted to Ibsen’s writing and how the work was filmed in a way to keep it deliberately theatrical. He talks about the themes of symbolism and hidden secrets in the play, which are common to the author’s other work. He describes what he took from being an up-and-coming actor in the midst of such a talented company. And he explains why the play and the subjects it tackles are as relevant today as ever.

9 minutes