Great Moments in New York Theater: Kate Burton as Hedda Gabler

On the morning of October 13, 2001, I awoke with this thought: “Ech. I have to see Hedda tonight.” All day, every person who asked me what are you doing tonight was met with the same reply: “Ech. I’m seeing Hedda tonight.”

I never thought I would ever see another production of Hedda Gabler. I never thought I would want to see another production of Hedda Gabler. I had already seen Hedda Gabler. Nine or ten of them; and I had liked, maybe, one of them. I simply did not see the purpose of my seeing one more Hedda Gabler.

But that changed the moment I saw the marquee announcing that a new production of Hedda Gabler was opening and it was to star Kate Burton. GOD. DAMMIT. I mean REALLY. GOD. DAMMIT. I was going to have to sit through another Hedda Gabler. GOD. DAMMIT.

You see, Pat and I don’t miss Kate Burton plays. Oh, it has happened, much to our dismay. Travel. Poverty. Oblivion. You name it, we have had legitimate reasons to miss Kate Burton in a play; HOWEVER. If we are made aware that Kate Burton is on the New York stage, we are there; it is simply that simple. Kate Burton is a great American actress, one of the favourites of our household, and one of the dearest people I have ever worked with; indeed, the word kind is better than dear. I have had and always will have great personal affection for Kate Burton and deep and ardent admiration of her work. So. We never miss a Kate Burton play.

Even Hedda Gabler.

And so, with heavy heart and dragging feet, I made my way down the three blocks to the Ambassador theater and readied myself for that Scandinavian anti-heroine, Hedda Gabler.

The lights dimmed.

The curtain went up.

People were talking (on a really great set, I must say).

Kate Burton made her entrance and Hedda Gabler was talking at people and stamping her feet in unadulterated boredom.

I leaned forward in my seat. I was listening. I was paying attention. I was watching. I kept leaning, listening, paying attention, watching.

I laughed.

A few moments later, I laughed again.

I kept laughing. And during the darkness of the scene change, I leaned over to Pat and said “It’s FUNNY.” He replied to me “It’s a comedy.”

O. M. F. G.

I had no idea. I had seen nine or ten Hedda Gablers and not one of them had made me laugh. They had all been directed and played to the height of drama – so high that it was too lofty for me to laugh at. All these years and my relationship with Hedda Gabler was based on a lie. Some people lied to me and made me believe that Hedda was a melodramatic tragedy. Oh, there is tragedy in the play- but not in the dialogue. That night, that great American actress Kate Burton introduced me to the real Hedda Gabler.

And I have been in love, ever since.