The Wild Duck

Is the truth always worth the price? 

In Henrik Ibsen’s The Wild Duck, we meet the Ekdal family, whose lives are shaped by illusion and secrecy. Hidden away in the family attic lies a darkness born of past transgressions, alongside a wounded wild duck with a broken wing. 

When family friend Gregers Werle returns with a burning desire to reveal the truth, the façade begins to crack. Young Hedvig, who is gradually losing her sight, sees the betrayals of the adults more clearly than anyone else. 

A Life Performed 

In his adaptation of Ibsen’s tragicomic family drama from 1884, Alan Lucien Øyen casts a sharp eye on our own age. What happens when the ideal of honesty collides with the human need for protection, hope and self-deception? 

“When we catch ourselves in the mirror in the morning, we hold our stomach in. When we smile at each other through the window of social media, it’s a fake and filtered smile. We fictionalize and stage our lives for ourselves and one another—but are we blind to the truth?” (Alan Lucien Øyen) 

The production had its world premiere at The Coronet Theatre in London to critical acclaim and is a collaboration between The Coronet Theatre, Det norske Ibsenkompaniet and Den Nationale Scene. 

On Stage 2, audiences will encounter a powerful ensemble of Norwegian actors, including Kåre Conradi in the role of Hjalmar Ekdal.

Alan Lucien Øyen: A Multidisciplinary Artist 

The Norwegian National Ballet’s resident choreographer is in demand across the globe, creating dance and theatre productions in dozens of countries. As a director, choreographer and playwright, he has received numerous accolades, and at the Norwegian National Opera & Ballet he has been behind major productions including The Hamlet Complex and Nothing Personal. “The art of Alan Lucien Øyen is impossible to ignore,” wrote Bergensavisen in 2025. 

In spring 2027, his production Inquiet will also receive its Norwegian premiere at the Opera.