There is something intrinsically Greek about Hedda Gabler and following Eve Best's mesmerising role as Lavinia Mannon in the National's production of Mourning Becomes Electra, I can think of no better actress to take on the role of Ibsen's troubled heroine.

Though tragic in the classical sense, this play has always been reminiscent of Euripides in the way it deals with realism and individuals rather than the ephemeral themes of fate and the Gods. Hedda Gabler is very much a woman who needs to be in control but is losing her grasp on the world around her; and Richard Eyre's new production makes for an impressively poignant addition to the current West End line-up.

Hedda is a beautiful, powerful and intelligent woman who, rather like Virginia Woolf and Sylvia Plath, is suffocated by the male dominated world around her and the resulting oppression of her freedom and creativity. Her husband George is a rising academic and her past love, Eilert - who has recently resurfaced in her life and in her lust - is an accomplished historian, a potential genius.

As the play progresses it becomes clear that the work and moods of these men conflict with Hedda's own need for attention and success. As they rise in society, she is pushed further into the background. Eventually, driven to the edge, she takes action to sabotage their work, jeopardising her name and reputation in the process, and slipping into the hands of the malevolent Judge Brack as a result.

Best is an outstanding actress with an overwhelming stage presence that is, at times painful, yet always satisfying to watch. She conveys with conviction the power Hedda has as a woman while at the same time managing to highlight the fragile nature Hedda's world and mind. Best is never less than magnificent in this sexy, moody and tragic role. She draws the audience into Hedda's depression, never allowing her distressing descent to lose its momentum, never forgetting the true meaning of Hedda's demise.

Benedict Cumberbatch and Lisa Dillon play, respectively, Hedda's husband George and friend Thea, both so absorbed in their own work and personal situations that they fail to realise the extent of Hedda's mental and emotional anguish. Cumberbatch (so excellent in the BBC's recent Hawking and To The Ends Of The Earth) captures George's fussy and academic persona brilliantly. Similarly Dillon gives an emotional and highly competent portrayal of another strong woman, one who is perhaps more determined to succeed but who is also more capable of submitting and conforming than Hedda.

Though Jamie Sives does not appear on stage for long, as Eilert Loevberg, he still has an unenviable task, having to portray the brooding and obsessive persona of an artist and genius. Sives, however, manages to bring to mind Heathcliff in this small but pivotal part; his performance boasts a real sense of menace. Iain Glen is equally entrancing as Judge Brack, allowing himself to come across as deeply abhorrent as the cruel and perverted misogynist. Glen provokes real hatred towards his character, fully understanding the important role he plays in Hedda's downfall.

Having given us the lavish, critically and commercially successful stage version of Mary Poppins last year, Eyre has made an equally surefooted return to the darker end of the theatrical spectrum with this unsettling yet enjoyable production. Impressively acted with a simple yet effectively designed set, the play sees the audience drawn into the spectacle of this woman's destruction. A great success during its run at the Almeida, with good reason, this is a darkly amusing, relevant and electrifying production.

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