Henrik Ibsen

John Gabriel Borkman

Photo: Damjan Švarc

Drama of the Slovene National Theatre Maribor / Drama SNG Maribor

Première 10. 5. 2013 Old Hall, SNG Maribor

Running time 1 hour without interval

Translator Mojca Kranjc
Director Mateja Koležnik
Dramaturg Rok Andres
Stage Designer Henrik Ahr
Costume Designer Alan Hranitelj
Composer Mitja Vrhovnik Smrekar
Lighting Designer Pascal Mérat
Language Consultant Janez Bostič
Make-up Designer Mirjana Djordjević

Cast
John Gabriel Borkman, formerly Managing Director of a bank Igor Samobor as guest
Gunhild Borkman, his wife Ksenija Mišič
Erhart, their son, a student Viktor Meglič
Miss Ella Rentheim, Mrs. Borkman’s twin sister Nataša Matjašec Rošker
Mrs. Fanny Wilton Maša Žilavec
Vilhelm Foldal, subordinate clerk in a government office Vlado Novak
Frida, his daughter Eva Kraš
Mrs. Borkman’s maid Mateja Pucko

John Gabriel Borkman is a former Managing Director of a bank who through financial speculations has misspent his wife’s entire estate as well as his clients’ savings and served time in prison for this misdeed. The Borkman family was saved from existential adversity by Borkman’s sister-in-law and his first love Ella. Borkman and Gunhild, who hates her husband, live separate lives and the only common point of their alienated lives is their son Erhart. The confrontation and the inevitable showdown with the past, the present, and the conflict of interests regarding the future occur when the fatally ill Ella pays a visit to her sister Gunhild and John with the wish that their son Erhart would live with her until her death. Gunhild has her plans for him and so does John Gabriel Borkman, who wants to offer his son "an opportunity” ... Yet Erhart refuses to be anyone’s puppet.