A PLAY that was ahead of its time is coming to Salisbury.

The production of Henrik Ibsen’s drama Hedda Gabler, which has been adapted by Brian Friel, runs in the main house from next Thursday (March 17).

The title role of Hedda is be played by Kirsty Bushell who recently appeared in The Barbican’s international tour of Antigone opposite Juliette Binoche.

She has performed in many productions for both the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre.

She is joined on stage by Ben Caplan as her husband George. Caplan will be familiar to fans of BBC’s Call the Midwife as he plays Sergeant Peter Noakes.

Newly-married and returning from their honeymoon, we meet Hedda and George. The free-spirited Hedda already feels trapped by both her marriage and her life, and fights against her conventional existence. Hedda Gabler plays out over a 24-hour period.

Caplan said: “You forget having done a little bit of Ibsen and coming back to it the reason why these plays are done time and time again. It is because they are brilliant and because they offer up something new every time."

He added: “I hope people will come out and discuss, and that it will really stir debate. It is quite a shocking play and it is written in a certain time but it feels very much beyond its years in what it is dealing with."

The pair say they have enjoyed the challenge of taking on these character roles.

The play looks at love, relationships, struggles with social conformity, class and also mental illness.

Ibsen was a “brilliant observationist” says Bushell adding: “We are really trying to honour what Ibsen wrote."

She said: "Friel has done a fantastic adaptation. Everyone on stage feels like a real person with a life and a history, and a story to tell that is worth telling, which is one of the greatest strengths of it"

Caplan added: "People do relate to it because it is about so many different things and there is something for everybody. There is pain and humour. It is about trying to make your way in the world even if you feel like an outcast."

Jane Wymark, Petra Markham, Damian Humbley, David Bark-Jones and Kemi-Bo Jacobs complete the cast of the production, which is directed by Salisbury Playhouse’s artistic director Gareth Machin.

It runs in the main house until April 2.

For tickets call 01722 320 333 or go to salisburyplayhouse.com