University of Virginia Library

Final Segment

The third act introduces Edgar
and Alice's daughter and Kurt's son
into the turmoil. This final segment
was written some months after the
original two-act play was finished,
but Strindberg wished them to be
presented on the same program.
Perhaps for this reason, the third
act seems vaguely incongruous to
the other two; not necessarily
better or worse, just different. It
should be noted, however, that
Strindberg, despite his switch of
focus in this concluding episode,
admirably does not forget about his
three main characters.

What is missing in the Arena's
production is credible torment.
Edgar and Alice never really come
across as people who hate each
other. Their verbal insults are
usually delivered with instead
of passion. It is almost as if
they enjoy this contest of embittered
witness. Their tauntings
seem harmless, as if a game they
play simply to break the monotony
of their lonely existence. The result
is that "Dance of Death" has no
dramatic fury. It's tame and therefore
pointless and passive.