This morning, we ventured to the Victoria and Albert Museum in South Kensington. This museum has always been such an iconic spot in movies/TV shows, so I was so, so excited to see it finally! I learned that it was founded in 1852 and is home to over 4.5 million objects across 6 different sections, ranging from artifacts to even a whole theatre section! We got to see some original costumes, puppets, and posters- as well as try on some fun outfits.
For our blog post today, we were asked to choose an artifact we thought went hand in hand with one of the shows we have seen. I decided to choose the modern technology exhibit at the museum and connect it to when we saw A Doll’s House at the Almeida Theatre. The exhibit was titled “Digital Anxieties,” which almost perfectly coincides with themes present in the modern version of A Doll’s House. The artifacts focus on all the modern gadgets we wear and how they are designed to gather and track our data. Focusing especially on political tension, it states, “At moments of heightened political tension, designers have created devices, software, and apps to gain greater or covert access to individuals’ information.” Throughout the adaptation of A Doll’s House, we saw each character experience anxiety when using devices such as phones or computers. Nora had to hide technology from Torvalt so he wouldn’t discover her secret. Technology was used as a form of blackmail, and at the very end, a text on a cellphone is what changed everything. Technology is constantly evolving, and we are always seeing how it affects us as humans. I really liked the modern use of technology in the adaptation we saw because it perfectly illustrated how technology can be used for good and harm. I really enjoyed the Digital Anxiety exhibit at the V&A because it reminded me of the show and made me wonder how technology is really affecting us.
Theatre in London U of A 