The phrase "the sins of the father are visited upon the son" suggests that parents’ actions can severely impact their children. In the new adaptation by Mark O’Rowe of Henrik Ibsen’s “Ghosts” at Lincoln Center’s Mitzi Newhouse Theater, parents’ choices have profound effects on the offspring. Although neither child in the story, Oswald nor Regina, was raised or spent much time with their fathers, their lives were dramatically impacted.

Lily Rabe plays Mrs. Alving who is dedicating an orphanage in memory of her late husband, Oswald’s father. On the surface, she appears to be honoring him, yet she later explains that she's spending all the money he brought to their marriage to rid her son of it. He will only inherit her money.

Rabe gives a powerful performance as a woman of passion who, constrained by “moral and legal obligations of marriage” has remained in her difficult relationship. Rabe plays a strong woman and she’s the major reason to see this play. She uses restraint and control, even when disagreeing and dealing with Pastor Manders.

Mrs. Alving sent her son Oswald away when he was young to keep him from her dissolute alcoholic husband. She also worked hard to maintain the facade of a happy marriage and hide his debauchery.

She reveals all to Manders (Billy Crudup), who serves as her legal advisor as well as spiritual leader. In fact, he was the one who convinced her to return to her husband years before when she left the marriage. Manders is shocked, especially when he learns the identity of the servant girl Regina’s true father.

He is timorous and more concerned about his position than Mrs. Alving’s unhappy life. Crudup portrays the pastor as a weak cowering creature. Although there was a slight spark between him and Mrs. Alving, quite frankly, I found it hard to accept that she could even be attracted to him because Crudup’s character is so flawed.

In general, the men in the play are not strong noble characters. Later Manders allows Engstrand, (Hamish Linklater) to take the blame for him for his own mistake. Engstrand is a workman who married Regina’s mother to legitimize Regina’s birth but primarily to get the money she was given by the real father. Linklater is cartoonish until the second act.

Directed by Jack O'Brien, the action of the play is slow and predictable. When Mrs. Alving is convinced by Manders that they don’t need insurance for the orphanage since the Divine will watch over the building, it is obvious what will happen.

You can’t help but consider the impact of generations when you look at the casting of two ‘nepo babies” in the play. Oswald is played by Levon Hawke, son of Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman. Regina is played by Ella Beatty, daughter of Warren Beatty and Annette Benning. When compared to skilled capable performers like Rabe, Beatty and Hawke seem amateurish. Oswald who has been living in Paris returns home for the dedication but he is ill. Oswald has vermoulu, “defined as “worm-eaten,“ syphilis which the doctors believed was transmitted by his father. Hawke is supposed to be dying and his brain is disintegrating. Instead he’s nonchalant and breezy and still has time to ‘hit on’ the attractive servant girl. Beatty is stiff and studied, like she’s still memorizing the blocking of her part.

The play originally aroused controversy because of its subject matter and negative criticism. Only later was it considered a great work. Today the subject matter feels tame. While watching “Ghosts” I recalled Ibsen’s masterpiece “A Doll’s House” and thought how, despite writing in the late 1800’s, Ibsen was obviously a feminist, depicting strong women constrained by their society.