sarah kane performances 2001

Crave Portuguese premiere

Sarah Kane Crave Falta

Crave in Portuguese (Falta) with Sylvie Rocha, Isabel Muñoz Cardoso, Cláudio Silva and Jose Airosa.

The translation is by Peter Marques.

18 Jan 2001.

Crave in Dresden, Germany

Crave directed by Nora Somaini, with Kati Eckerfeld, Anna Stieblich, Petra Wolf, Martin Brauer, Christoph Krix and Jörg Thieme. There are six actors- do they share the roles on different days or are all six on stage?

25 Jan 2001 at the Staatsschauspiel, Dresden.

Blasted in Copemhagen, Denmark

The Danish premiere of Blasted opened in January 2001 at the Cafe Theatre in Copenhagen.

Cate was played by Lisbeth Wulff, the soldier was Søren Malling and Ian was Henrik Prip. The director was Jens August Wille.

Thanks to Henrik for the information.

Cleansed in Athens, Greece

Cleansed ran in Athens in Apr-May 2001 and was revived from 1 Oct- 30 Nov 2001 at Roes Theatre, Athens.

The director is Lefteris Voyatzis and the players are Lefteris Voyatzis (Tinker), Nikos Kouris (Graham), Thanos Samaras (Carl), Christos Loulis (Rod), Amalia Moutousi (Grace), Yiannos Perlengas (Robin), Alexia Kaltsiki (Woman).

Crave France

Crave (Manque) in Paris, France at the Théâtre de la Bastille. The director was Jean-Marie Patte and the actors were Astrid Bas, Elsa Bosc, Sébastien Bravart and Marc Toupence. 9-14 Jan 2001.

Crave Catalan premiere in Spain

Crave in Catalan (Ànsia), performed in Cataluña, Spain.
The director was Xavier Albertí, with roles performed by Actors: Lina Lambert, Alícia Pérez, Xavier Albertí, Julio Manrique. The play was translated by Ernest Riera.

Blasted in Germany

Blasted (Zerbompt) with Yves Grimmler, Nicole Hommel and Christian Kerschl. The director was Katrin Hötzel and video was by Peter Berger. Theater Halle 2-3 Mar 2001.

Cleansed American premiere

Cleansed in Chicago, America. The director was Lisa Rothschiler of Defiant Theatre who also directed the American premiere of Phaedra´s Love.

"How much are you willing to suffer for the sake of those you love? Cleansed tells the stories of a grieving sister, a compassionate ghost, a delicate mental patient, and a tortured gay couple. For each, love provides fierce blooms of hope in a world of control and unpunished cruelty"

Crave (Hunker) The Netherlands

Hunker (Crave) toured The Netherlands through June. Translated into Dutch by Marcel Otten, directed by Hans Trentelman and with Marie Christine de Both, Mieneke Bakker, Hans Leipsig and Geert Jan Romeijn.

"A similar staging to that in The Royal Court (four chairs facing the audience) but with a different order of players (A, B, M, C from the audience viewpoint) which is effective in breaking up the pairing of A/C, and M/ B and increases the interchangeability of the text. The performance also used music to break the piece into scenes, which provides the audience with time to assimilate the dialogue."

Crave in USA

The Nora Theatre Company version of Crave in Boston. May 2001.

The director is Elaine Vaan Hogue and the players are Steven Barkhimer (A), Eric Radford Weiss (B), Anne Gottlieb (C) and Laura Lanfranchi (M).

"Of the group, the person known as C emerges as the central figure; she’s the most victimized one, notably in a gang-rape moment in which B, holding her from behind, jerks her body up and down while A assails her with a sexual harangue. It’s in C’s voice that we seem to hear the playwright address us most directly (“I am here to remember”; “I hate these words that keep me alive”), and Vaan Hogue twice builds climaxes by having C step downstage, apart from the others, to speak" (from review by Chris Fujiware).

Crave Australian premiere

Company B's production of Crave showed at Belvoir Street Theatre (Downstairs) in Sydney from 28 Jun-15 Jul 2001.

Blasted Australian premiere

La Boite Theatre in Brisbane presented Blasted from 12 - 28 Jul.

Blasted Portuguese premiere

Blasted in Portuguese (Ruínas) with Carla Bolito, João Saboga and Vítor Correia.

The directors were Jorge Silva Melo and Paulo Claro. The translation was by Pedro Marques.

Blasted Belgium premiere

Blasted (Anéantis) had it Belgium premiere in Charleroi, Théâtre de l'Ancre, on 9-13 Oct followed by a run in Brussels, Théâtre de Poche, 16 Oct- 3 Nov. The director was Michel Bernard.

Crave in Berlin

Crave (Gier) in Lehniner Platz, Berlin. The director was Thomas Ostermeier and the players were Thomas Dannemann, Cristin König, Falk Rockstroh and Michaela Steiger. The text was translated into German by Marius von Mayenbrug. It was a collaboration between the Théâtre National de la Colline and Schaubühne.

Sarah Kane festival (Blasted, Crave, 4.48 Psychosis)

The Royal Court´s tribute to Kane with revivals of Blasted, Crave and 4.48 Psychosis, and readings of Phaedra´s Love and Cleansed.

Sarah Kane festival Blasted

Blasted from 29 Mar to 28 Apr 2001.
Directed by James Macdonald. The actors were Neil Dudgeon, Tom Jordan Murphy and Kelly Reilly. Designed by Hildegard Bechtler, lighting by Jean Kalman and sound by Paul Arditti.

"...Blasted is superbly played, maintaining irresistible tension moment by moment by moment. Impossible for an outsider to guess whether Macdonald just hit upon a superbly right cast, or whether it was his direction that raised them all to this pitch of cruelly precise exposure; but Neil Dudgeon's portrait of Ian is formidably exposed and unsparing, and Kelly Reilly's Cate as delectably funny and dim as she is touchingly graceful... For the Soldier the script offers fewer clues; Tom Jordan Murphy plays him flat, offhand, rather companionable, dead behind the eyes. Kane's laconically suggestive text needs a lot of winkling out, and these three actors use their leisurely two hours to winkle it completely." The Financial Times.

"What strikes me about [this performance of] the play is how the audience is subjected to such a rigorous stripping down of human personality. It is clear to me that Kane wanted to ask- how can normal, safe human life relate to the terrible extremes of suffering and cruelty which exist". John from discussion page, 30-4-2001 (thanks John).

Sarah Kane festival Crave

Crave from 8 May to 9 Jun 2001.
A Paines Plough production directed by Vicky Featherstone. The actors were Ingrid Craigie, Andrew Scott, Eileen Walsh and Alan Williams.
Designed by Georgia Sion, lighting by Nigel J Edwards.

Sarah Kane festival 4.48 Psychosis

4.48 Psychosis from 5 May to 9 Jun 2001.
Directed by James Macdonald. The actors were Daniel Evans, Jo McInnes and Madeleine Potter.
Designed by Jeremy Herbert, lighting by Nigel J Edwards and sound by Paul Arditti.

"...Macdonald's staging (of 4.48 Psychosis), with the audience sitting in steeply raked seats on the stage and the action taking place in what was once the Royal Court's stalls, is hypnotic, harrowing and strangely beautiful... The performances of Daniel Evans, Jo McInnes and Madeleine Potter have a precision and an emotional rawness that are almost unbearable to witness. The final moments offer an astonishing coup de theatre, and a most moving suggestion of peace. This is a great production of a masterpiece of mental and emotional extremity..." The Daily Telegraph.

Australian premiere of Blasted

Genre Productions and La Boite Theatre, Brisbane. Director Linda Hassall and the players Steven Grives (Ian), Melinda Butel (Cate) and Marcel Dorney (the soldier). 12-28 July 2001.

"the slow burn of Cate’s evolving strength is marvellous to watch. Melinda Butel’s performance of Cate leaves you hurting with empathy. The trajectory of Cate’s story, as she becomes more robust, is successful because of the playing. Steven Grives, as Ian, brings together a mix of nastiness striped with pure sleaze and he successfully demonstrates the fragility of these defences in the face of threat. Marcel Dorney, the skulking soldier - the alien in the landscape of the text, takes a remarkable tour through chaos in his role but retains his focus well and seems to have found something to redeem the Soldier in his portrayal" (from Cath Hart´s review, m/c reviews, 25 Jul 2001).

Mexican premiere of Blasted

Blasted in Mexico City with the premiere on 17 Aug 2001. The director was Ignacio Ortiz and the actors were Arturo Rivers, Ari Brikman and Ana Graham.

Cleansed French premiere

The actors were Jonathan Bidot, Nazim Boudjenah, Jeanne Casilas, Eric Caruso, Virgile Coignard, Peggy Péneau, Thierry Raynaud, Frédéric Schulz-Richard and Xavier Tavera.

The director was Hubert Colas, and the translation was by Evelyne Pieiller.

4.48 Psychosis Finnish premiere

4.48 Psychosis (4.48 Psychoosi) in Finland, at the Finnish National Theater. The director was Michael Baran. With Wanda Dubiel, Tuuli Lindeberg (singing), Seppo Pääkkönen.

Visual designer was Kimmo Viskari and music was by Juhani Nuorvala.

Site visitor Markku says (thanks Markku) "Pääkkönen played the doctor. The music was quite experimental...some sort of avantgardistic classical music (the singer talked about some "natural sounds" you cannot get out of normally tuned piano, but I couldn't get the jargon) and the singer sang lines from the play. After the list of medicals was revealed, she sang their names a few times. I attended a discussion about the play afterwards and they had quit interesting opinions and stories about the rehearsals."

Crave in Canada

By the Blacklist Theatre Project at the New Dance Theatre, Calgary, Canada. Sept 2001.

Kate Newby directed, and the players were Douglas MacLeod (A), Sean Bowie (B), Susan Bristow (C) and Laura Parken (M).

Director Kate Newby said "It's an extraordinary piece of non-linear writing and an extraordinary piece of theatre." She also says its the most challenging and rewarding play she's done in her 20 year career.

Reviewer Lori Montgomery (On Stage, 13 Sep 2001) says "Kate Newby has drawn inspiration from posthumous stagings of Kane’s final play, 4:48 Psychosis ... the four actors appear in front of a vast mirror that reflects their every move, while sitting, standing, or laying on the floor writhing in pain. There is no escape for these characters"

Thanks to Trevor and The Blacklist Theatre Project for the photos.

Phaedra´s Love (Phaidras Liebde) in Austria

The players were Isabel Martinez (Phädra), Raphael von Bargen (Hippolytos), Piroska Szekely (Strophe), Hannes Gastinger (Priester/Arzt), Thomas Stolzeti (Theseus) and the director was Michael Wallner. The premiere was 4 Nov 2001 at th Volkstheater Wien.

Phaedra´s Love in Cambridge, UK

Phaedra´s Love in Cambridge, UK on 21-24 Nov 2001. It's a Pembroke Players performance, an amateur production with their own interpretation of the play. The director is Dan Sherer, assisted by Carl Death.

"this production has emphasised its Greek roots... creating a troupe of all-singing, all-dancing angels that control the action, even having a brainstorm (complete with flipchart) to decide how Phaedra will meet her terrible fate. I´m not sure I was entirely convinced by their intervention in the action all the time, as it often slowed the pace a little too much between the scenes, but they were a fantastic addition when it came to presenting the moments of brutality. In particular, when Phaedra performs oral sex on Hippolytus, the stage image is juxtaposed with the angels dancing and singing to Britany Spears. Yes, this was very funny, but it was still strangely disconcerting. Whilst we laughed at the angels we were also laughing at the main stage action, which was really an expression of Phaedra´s true desire." (from review by Felicity Poulter, Varsity, 22 Nov 2001).

4.48 Psychosis in France

4.48 Psychosis playing at the Théâtre-studio d'Alfortville, Paris Dec 2001. The director is Christian Benedetti and the player is Ingrid Jaulin.

The sole actress remains standing and motionless for the whole performance.

"D'autre part, en poussant jusqu'au bout son parti pris antispectaculaire, jusqu'à imposer à sa comédienne l'immobilité totale, Christian Benedetti instaure paradoxalement une véritable tension, physique et émotionnelle, qui ne peut laisser le spectateur indifférent. Même si la majeure partie de son aventure intérieure reste sans doute inaccessible au spectateur, l'intensité de l'interprétation d'Ingrid Jaulin force le respect et emmène l'écriture de Sarah Kane bien au delà de tout pathos biographique" (from review by Vital Philippot, www.fluctuat.net).

Cleansed in Finland

Cleansed at KokoTeatteri, Finland.

The director is Mikko Kanninen, translation by Tuomas Timonen, choreography Sami Saikkonen.

Opening night 26 Oct 2001.

4.48 Psychose French premiere

The director was Christian Benedetti and the actress (the only performer) was Ingrid Jaulin. It played in the Théâtre-studio d'Alfortville.

A single actress, who remains totally immobile for the entire performance.

Crave (Gier) in Switzerland

Performed in German in Berner Münster from 17 Oct 2001. The director was Michael Oberer and the roles were played by Andreas Debatin (A), Thomas U. Hostettler (B), Sonja Gertsch (C) and Patricia Bornhauser (M). The producer was Christian Probst.

4.48 Psychosis in Munich, Germany

4.48 Psychosis (4.48 Psychose) directed by Thirza Bruncken, in Munich in the Kammerspiele. The premiere was 7 Nov 2001.

Phaedra´s Love/ 4.48 Psychosis in Slovenia

A production combining Phaedra's Love (Fedrina ljubezen) and 4.48 Psychosis (4.48 psihoza) into a single play 4.48. The director was Eduard Miler.

It was on throughout the 2001/2002 season at Mladinsko Theatre, Ljubljana, Slovenia with the premiere on 10 Nov 2001.

"a post-Brechtian interpretation of Kane's world of anger, rage and violence, a stunning comment on the global post-democratic contemporary society"

Blasted premiere in Ireland

Directed by Jimmy Fay featuring Lalor Roddy, Aidan Kelly and Fiona O’Shaughnessy. It was a Bedrock Productions from 22 Nov - 8 Dec 2001 in the Project Arts Centre in Dublin.

"Kane plays with notions of conventional stage time - which is already playing with notions of real time - and as the spaces in between the scenes shorten, time and season are taken out of context. "When Ian orders two English breakfasts, two lines later there's a knock on the door and there's two English breakfasts at the door. She does that on purpose! It's not a non sequitur - it's the logic of a nightmare," says Fay. "We're staying very true to her stage directions, because she has set it up a bit like dialogue. She's very inventive and totally fearless. She's not thinking, 'How are they going to stage this?' - she's challenging us. But if you're brave enough, you can do it! Everybody has to do something in this that was somewhat beyond them." (Susan Conley, ireland.com)

4.48 Psychosis (4.48 Psicose) in Portugal

The theater company Artistas Unidos (United Artists) had already performed Blasted and Crave in Portugal, then 4.48 Psychosis. Nov 2001.

The translation is by Pedro Marques and actors are Gracinda Nave and Miguel Borges, with staging by Joao Fiadeiro. It was on at the Espaço A Capital/ Teatro Paulo Claro, Lisboa.

Site visitor Sandra says (thanks Sandra) "Last Thursday was the premiere for 4.48 Psychosis. The other two plays had already made me fall in love for Sarah's writing but watching Psychosis was just overwhelming. I had already read it because a friend gave me the Complete Plays book as a present but seeing it on stage by such awesome actors it was like it was her there... sometimes I just forgot I was a mere spectator... I read somewhere that Sarah wanted us to feel it as a punch in the stomach.. I felt it all over my body...".

Crave and 4.48 Psychosis in Berlin, Germany

Crave (Gier) and 4.48 Psychosis (4.48 Psychose) in Berlin at the Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz, Berlin.

Crave. The players are Falk Rockstroh (A), Thomas Dannemann (B), Cristin König (C), Michaela Steiger (M) and the director is Thomas Ostermeier. Translated by Marius von Mayenburg. 09.2001.

4.48 Psychose. The players are Jule Böwe, Sylvana Krappatsch, Kay Bartholomäus Schulze and the director is Falk Richter. The translation was by Durs Grünbein. 3.12.2001.

Crave in Stockholm

Darling Desperados, a Swedish fringe company, performing Crave. The play opened on 15 Nov 2001 at Nya Pistolteatern, Stockholm then at Atalante, Göteborg.

The directors were Svante Aulis Löwenborg and Lars Hansson and the players were Pelle Bolander, Tjelvar Eriksson, Emelie Rödström and Helén Söderqvist Henriksson

Cleansed in Brazil

The premiere of Cleansed in Brazil at the Espaço Cultural Sergio Porto in Rio de Janeiro on 16 Nov 2001. It was performed by the Tropel company and directed by Felipe Vidal. The first performance of Sarah Kane in South America.

Phaedra´s Love and Crave in Singapore

Two student productions in Singapore;

In Phaedra the players were Colin Cheong (Hippolytus), Charlene Cai (Phaedra), Zachary Ho (Theseus).

In Crave the players were Zachery Ho (A), Colin Cheong (B), Joyce Yao (C) and Koh Wan Ching (M).

On Crave: "It attracted the audience's attention to each individual's obsessions and on/off relationships with one another. But it also alienated those who sought clarity though the mess of confessions. Not a play to illicit quick emotions, 'Crave' challenges both actors and audiences; for the actors to fulfil the potential of linguistically charged emotions and for the audience to leave convention behind and partake of Kane-defined climaxes and denouements" (from review by Sherrie Lee, flyinginkpothteatre, 9 nov 2001).

4.48 Psychose (4.48 Psychosis) in Switzerland

Playing in the Schauspielhaus in Zürich with the premiere on 11 Dec 2001. The players were Bibiana Beglau, Jule Böwe, Sylvana Krappatsch and Kay Bartholomaeus Schulze. The director was Falk Richter.

Cleansed and 4.48 Psychosis in Poland

Cleansed performed in Wroclaw, Warsaw and Poznan. A co-production of three theatres. Premieres: Poznan 15 Dec 2001, Wroclaw 9 Jan 2002, Warsaw 18 Jan 2002

4.48 Psychosis performed both in Poznan (premiere 24 Jan) and Warsaw (Rozmaitosci again) - premiere on the 8 Feb.

Phaedra´s Love in USA

Defunct Theatre´s Phaedra with Madeleine Sanford as Phaedra, James Moore as Hippolytus, Song Kim as Theseus, damali ayo as Strophe. Directed by Grace Carter.

Sarah Kane Phaedras Love

"Grace Carter's direction of this tough piece still needs work, but it's a good start. She succeeds with her casting: James Moore's half-conscious Hippolytus, Madeleine Sanford's lust-crazed Phaedra, and the choric Strophe of damali ayo (who also provides the witty set of gold-laced penitentiary wire, boldly symbolizing Theseus' dystopian kingdom). Yet Carter shies from some of Kane's violence, though the scenes among the three principals are potent" (from review by Steffen Silvis, WWeek, photo Basil Childers)