Peer pressure

Outgoing Dundee Rep Artistic Director Dominic Hill has chosen Ibsen's Peer Gynt as his finale. Hugo Fluendy talks to him about exits, excitement and expectations

Feature by Hugo Fluendy | 08 Sep 2007

Dominic Hill is a man with a mission. Charged with the artistic direction of Edinburgh's Traverse Theatre from early next year, Hill will have one of the most challenging and exciting jobs in Scottish drama. But there's a little matter of Ibsen's Peer Gynt at the Dundee Rep first. Opening on 24 September, the Norwegian master's sprawling, mythic tale of trolls and existential truths marks Hill's swansong as Artistic Director at the highly regarded theatre. Penned entirely in verse in 1876, the picaresque plot roves from small town Scandinavia to Morocco via the Pyramids, as the eponymous Peer struggles with fundamental questions of identity and a perpetually adolescent fear of commitment. The play also boasts a score by that other Norwegian artistic giant, Edvard Greig, which includes the classic suite In The Hall of the Mountain King famously covered by prog rockers ELO.

Needless to say, the man tapped to lead Scotland's new writing theatre has no truck with 19th Century anachronism or even 70s-style self absorbed noodling. Rather, Hill re-frames the play in a determinedly contemporary context. "I've always loved this strange, exhilarating story and find something incredibly modern and accessible about the story of a young guy stuck in a provincial town who dreams of being rich and famous. And yes, it's set in a contemporary world. It's a brilliant new version, very visceral, raw and hopefully modern and accessible with live music," he confirms. "The main challenge - for the adapter really - is the African section in act four. In the original, this is a mad satire, full of topical jokes. We've taken a very particular slant on it, maintaining most of the original story but giving it a particularly contemporary context."

Indeed, Ibsen's play provides a rich canvas for one of Scotland's top theatre-makers to practice his art. Fitting then that status is a central preoccupation of Hill's staging. "I'm interested in the themes of celebrity," he explains. "And in the desire to not be seen to be mediocre in this world. Also the age old theme of identity - who am I and what gives me value and status in this world? It is the question that runs through the whole of the play."

Although this ambitious production is not slated to tour, it is a co-presentation by the National Theatre of Scotland (NTS), a vital factor in its genesis. Indeed without NTS' financial clout, Hill's Peer Gynt would never have seen the light of day in Dundee or anywhere else. "We were looking for a show to do with the National Theatre, and without their financial help we wouldn't have been able to put this on. They paid for the commission and have allowed us to double our production budget without which we couldn't do the show. It has a cast of twenty and took seven weeks in rehearsal."

Hill is less forthcoming about the future for The Traverse. The current incumbent Phillip Howard has been a talented custodian of the theatre's international reputation for producing cutting edge drama in an illustrious career spanning some 11 years. These are big shoes to fill, and perhaps it's wiser to let the actors do the talking on stage when the time comes. No surprise then that he prefers to focus on his past achievements at Dundee. "Scenes from an Execution was a very successful show for us and helped further our reputation. Personally, Ubu the King was a great challenge as I was working in a different way - where the concept contributed as much as the text to the success of the piece. I've also loved having the dance company here at the Rep and working with them and their artistic director Janet Smith has been a unique opportunity. However, of all the shows I have done I probably have fondest memories of my production of Midsummer Night's Dream."

But the last word on his stewardship of Dundee Rep must surely go to Peer Gynt. As our anti-hero prepares to abandon his lover he makes the excuse that he 'has something heavy to fetch'. Dominic Hill too has weighty matters on his mind, but unlike the Norwegian wastrel he is honouring his commitments. With this new adaptation he is leaving Dundee Rep with its reputation riding high. Make sure you are there to witness it.

Peer Gynt, Dundee Rep Theatre, September 24 - October 13

http://www.dundeereptheatre.co.uk, www.nationaltheatrescotland.com