Carrie Cracknell

The play A dolls house intrigued me because of its feminist views and interpretations on this
world so I have decided to look further into Carrie Cracknell who is the director of this play. I want
to understand what inuences her and her work because, I think this will help me visualise the work
in a directors prospective rather than an actors. These are a few facts that I have learnt about Carrie
Cracknell, she is a young talented British theatre director who was a joint artistic director of the
Gate Theatre in London from 2007 to 2012. Her work become very well known because of its
different approach in mixing contemporary dance with theatre. Cracknell also did reinterpretations
of classic plays such as Medea which is one of her most recent ones. However she is now currently
an Associate Director of the Royal Court Theatre.
It's about human beings trying to nd the truest versions of themselves." Women's lifestyles have
changed irrevocably but tensions still resonate, she says. Yet today's Noras are differently trapped:
"We are sold the idea that women are free, our experience equal to men's. The new entrapment is
about women trying to full an innite number of roles." She nds it "chilling" that women are
"increasingly sexualised in our culture.
The play A dolls house for me seems like an exploration into the ways in which people sometimes
live false lives with partners but it is also a real eye opener into Cracknells views on feminism
because, I have never stopped and thought about it in this way before. I think Cracknell wants to
raise awareness to this on going
issue of sexism that we still seem to
be facing in this day and age. We
are told that men and women have
equal rights in education and
employment but in fact when you
really think about equality, is
everything always as equal as they
say it is because to me it is all
starting to look like an illusion. I
believe Cracknells aim is to
question the audience and to make
them think about these issues,
instead of just accepting it for what
it is. I believe she does what she
does to make a change and
inuence and educate as many as
possible on the real truth behind
sexism.
I have leant that Cracknell only got into directing after a disastrous attempt at acting. She struggled
learning her lines so, she decided directing was more appealing to her. She quoted, Its being on
the outside looking in and in control of the whole world. Whereas with a performer its the
complete opposite, it is like "being inside and unable to see". Her time in Edinburgh was when
directing really possessed her. Cracknell believes that it is like having a strange conceit about a
piece because its like bringing people into your dream world. This idea of your own dream world
and being able to create your own visions is what excites me about directing.
To conclude, I now understand that Cracknell is exploring uncertainties, excitements and tensions
of gender politics. This has now given me a complete different outlook on directing and equality
because it has helped me with an understanding of true inuences and objectives.
Methode:
On Directing: Carrie Cracknell | Digital Theatre Plus. 2014. On Directing: Carrie Cracknell | Digital
Theatre Plus. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.digitaltheatreplus.com/making-theatre/creative-
team/on-directing-carrie-cracknell#. [Accessed 28 october 2014].
National Theatre: Medea today - YouTube. 2014. National Theatre: Medea today - YouTube.
[ONLINE] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwYjqylt9h8. [Accessed 28 October
2014].