After 32 years, actress Lee Young-ae has stepped onto the theater stage, facing the audience with the play "Hedda Gabler." Through the complex female character "Hedda," who lives in an oppressive era, Lee Young-ae draws out strange emotions and darkness within herself, performing deeply profound acting. As she noted, "Everyone has a Hedda inside them," on stage, Lee Young-ae captures the cold, lonely yet passionate face of Hedda.
On the 13th, Lee Young-ae conducted an interview related to the play "Hedda Gabler" at LG Art Center in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, discussing the work.
The play "Hedda Gabler" is a classic masterpiece that meticulously and persistently delves into the inner life of a woman yearning for freedom in an oppressive era. Written in 1890 by the world-renowned playwright Henrik Ibsen, it has been reborn with a modern sensibility using a minimalist stage and large screens.
Returning to the theater stage after 32 years, Lee Young-ae expressed, "I wasn't really that nervous during the first performance; my goal was just not to forget my lines and to proceed step by step as I had practiced. My aim was to stick to the manual, so I worried a lot about how much emotion would come through, but fortunately, I received positive feedback, for which I was grateful."
She continued, "As I became somewhat accustomed, I was able to enjoy the stage and communicate with the audience. I tried to vary what I had done before. Since it's a large theater, the audience can't see my eyes, so we projected videos onto the screen and I also acted again while trying to face the audience. Now, I'm making an effort to enjoy it."
The character "Hedda," portrayed by Lee Young-ae in "Hedda Gabler," is complex, embodying beauty yet cynicism, intelligence yet destructiveness. Lee Young-ae captured the audience's attention by expressing Hedda's mixed feelings of loneliness and desire, cynicism and anger with restrained energy.
She explained her thoughts on the character Hedda, saying, "She's an incomprehensible woman; even 120 years ago and still now, there are many aspects that are difficult to understand. I made an effort to portray her as a relatable character rather than a convincing villain. It seems that quite a few people can appreciate that, and it feels good to know my research wasn't in vain."
She added, "This woman's personality is cold, and in a modern society that is lonely and alienated, anyone can feel isolated, and while there are families, many lack love. There's a longing to leave and a desire to float away. I found an understanding of such beings through Hedda. I realized that someone like that could exist. Those who knew Hedda might think she is too light, but I wanted to define that it is possible to be like Hedda. I wanted to convey that everyone has a Hedda inside them."
Lee Young-ae, who revealed that there could be a Hedda within herself, stated, "I sometimes pull out parts of myself that I wasn't aware of and feel a sense of joy. The audience experiences catharsis through me, and I can have such dark thoughts as well. I think, 'Where are all the people who leave negative comments? I hope they trip somewhere,' (laughs) Maybe everyone has a Hedda inside them."
When asked if she had ever experienced depression or anger like Hedda, she confessed, "It wasn't to the point of depression, but I struggled during COVID. I have two children in 2nd and 3rd grades, and it was maddening for them to have online classes at home. So I cried. I wanted to run away. That's why I chose 'Gugyeongi.' That time was really tough."
Coincidentally, Lee Hye-young's production of the play "Hedda Gabler" is set to debut just a week later. Lee Young-ae, who learned about Hedda through Lee Hye-young's "Hedda Gabler," responded, "Each of us has our own color, so I want to express the diverse emotions that people can find within, as I find it enjoyable and fascinating."
Finally, she said, "Since each performance is a one-time event that cannot be repeated, every show is precious. Today could be better or worse than yesterday, so on days when I am satisfied, I wish the audience members who saw me yesterday would return. I also want to enjoy this process, so I'd like to ask everyone to watch until the end."
[Photo] LG Art Center
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