My Master Builder has arrived on London’s West End to considerable fanfare and it’s easy to see why – this is Ewan McGregor’s first time on stage for some 17 years, and his co-stars include Kate Fleetwood (Big Mood) and Elizabeth Debicki (The Crown). The play is a re-imagining of Henrik Ibsen’s The Master Builder – it’s now set in the present day, in The Hamptons, with our titular builder now a celebrity architect – or ‘starchitect’ – hosting a 4th of July party. It’s all quite far removed from the Norwegian smalltown setting of the original.
One of the key differences with this adaptation is the focus on the female roles: while most of the story revolves around architect Henry Solness (McGregor), his wife Elena Solness (Fleetwood) and lover Mathilde (Debicki) are both given much more airtime; they both have power and agency in this production. It feels timely and topical, with Mathilde’s narrative having a #MeToo angle. There’s an interesting debate about the feminist movement and what makes a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ feminist, which also feels timely.
It works well. Act one functions as a compelling set up – we are introduced to our leads and learn about their back stories and motivations, and the suspense is built effectively towards the interval. On press night the theatre was alive with animated chatter during the interval about what might happen next – evidently our central trio are angling for conflicting outcomes so it’s clear this isn’t going to be a ‘happy ever after’ ending. My Master Builder is successful in keeping its audience guessing – we were eager to see how this would turn out.
We enjoyed our evening with My Master Builder – there’s some impressive acting talent on the stage, the story is gripping and the issues at its heart feel timely. Adapting a classic play for a contemporary audience and making it feel relevant is no small feat – this is a commendable achievement which provides an entertaining night out too.
GAY TIMES gives My Master Builder – 4/5
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