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Lily Allen gets ready for her return to the West End as she shares glimpse at her preparations to take on iconic role of tragic heroine Hedda Gabler

BBG News

Lily Allen is diligently gearing up for her comeback on the West End stage, as evidenced by the numerous photos she posted from her rehearsals for portraying the iconic character of Hedda Gabler.

A 40-year-old musician will be appearing in a modern interpretation of Henrik Ibsen’s famous play, Hedda, towards the end of this month at the Ustinov Studio of the Theatre Royal Bath.

The play is undergoing adaptation and will be helmed by Matthew Dunster, the same director for her last two West End performances. It’s set to run from July 25th to August 23rd.

Additionally, the Unfair Star offered fans a peek behind the scenes, posting selfies while she was memorizing her script in a practice room.

Additionally, she took a photo while reclining on the couch, with her bulky manuscript resting on her knees and her important passages marked up.

Title for the post: Lily playfully hints her enthusiasm about coming back on stage with the caption: ‘West End Girl’

The winner of the BRIT Award is set to perform alongside Imogen Stubbs, Ciaran Owens, Julia Chan, and Tom Austen in the production of Hedda.

After her honeymoon, Hedda feels disenchanted with married life. She becomes dangerously drawn towards a morally questionable author who’s known for his brilliance but leads a chaotic lifestyle. Moreover, an older man tries to manipulate and intimidate her.

‘Suffocated and betrayed by these violent forces, there is only one choice left to her…’

Last May, I was overjoyed when my casting as the tragic heroine was officially announced. I couldn’t help but express my excitement about the opportunity to perform in the intimate Ustinov Studio, where only 126 lucky audience members can witness the show.

During that period, director Matthew shared his thoughts: “Lily and I were discussing women we knew who were stuck in relationships dominated by men’s power, and how modern women were still being manipulated and harmed.

As a passionate enthusiast, I couldn’t help but steer our discussion towards dramatic pieces that would allow us to delve into those intriguing concepts. My mind immediately raced to ‘Hedda Gabler’, a play where the parallels became strikingly apparent, invigorating my imagination and simultaneously leaving me with a sense of heart-wrenching anticipation.

He added that their version of the famous Norwegian tragedy, would be ‘absolutely for now’.

Lily is embarking on her third stage appearance, following her West End premiere in the summer of 2021, in the chilling supernatural thriller, “2:22 – A Ghost Story.

She was the initial actress to portray the role of Jenny, a part subsequently taken on by stars such as Cheryl, Constance Wu, and Stacey Dooley. Her exceptional stage presence earned her overwhelmingly positive accolades.

Her performance was described as both captivating and exceptional, and it was noted that despite being a novice, she delivered a remarkably self-assured act.

2022 saw her receiving her first Oliver Award nomination for the role, and she went on to win the Best Actress accolade at the WhatsOnStage Awards that same year.

In the year 2023, the mother of two returned to the stage, taking on a leading role in Martin McDonagh’s rendition of “The Pillowman,” alongside Steve Pemberton.

In the recent resurrection of the 2003 play, she portrayed the role of Katurian, who is a fiction writer and finds himself incarcerated by an authoritarian regime.

In the original 2003 Olivier award-winning play, she became the first female actor to assume the main role, following David Tennant’s portrayal of the lead character.

In conversation with The Telegraph, Lily explained that having a woman in the role could intensify the fear factor, as it is less common to witness female characters experiencing violence.

It will come as a surprise, considering the context. I believe men often aren’t held accountable for the same level of criticism that women receive for their creative work.

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2025-07-03 19:21

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