Documentation

Context and Artistic Process

Hedvig emerged from Barbados Artes Escénicas research into theatrical forms where imagination becomes an active component of the scenic experience. Starting from Ibsen’s The Wild Duck, the adaptation condensed the original structure while preserving the central dramatic conflict and the psychological complexity of its characters.

The production investigated how the absence of conventional theatrical elements could intensify the relationship between actor, text and audience. The scenic device eliminated realistic representation, replacing it with a precise physical language in which gestures, voices and spatial relationships generated the fictional world.

A central element of the staging was the fragmented construction of the character Hedvig. Her presence was created through a separation between body and voice: the physical body was represented on stage by the flutist, while the character’s text was performed by an actress outside the scenic space. This dramaturgical decision transformed Hedvig into a spectral presence, reinforcing the themes of innocence, sacrifice and emotional abandonment that define the tragedy.

As Associate Director and Movement Advisor, my contribution focused on the physical and scenic dimension of the production, developing the relationship between body, gesture and dramatic action. The process explored how movement, rhythm and performers’ physical presence could reinforce the tension between psychological conflict and theatrical abstraction.

As Co-Founder and President of Barbados Artes Escénicas, I was part of the company’s artistic leadership, sharing responsibility with Diego Rodríguez for its artistic direction while also contributing to its strategic development, production planning and organizational management alongside my credited artistic role in this production.