Blasted in California, USA

Rude Guerrilla Theater Company produced the California premiere of Blasted, from 18 Jun 2004 to 25 July 2004.

It was performed at the GTC Burbank in Los Angeles. The actors were Hillary Calvert as Cate, Ryan Harris as The Soldier and Bryan Jennings as Ian. Dave Barton is the director.

Rude Guerrilla Theater Company performed Cleansed a couple of years ago.

Thanks to Dave for the information.  Click on the image for more details.

Edinburgh Festival

	4.48 Psychosis was performed by Manic Expressive Productions at 1/4rm@Greenside venue (this is the name of the venue, not an email address) between 23-27 Aug 2004. Click on the image for more details.
	Phaedra's Love was performed by Fail Better Productions at the Smirnoff Underbelly venue between 5-29 Aug 2004. Click on the image for more details.
	Crave was performed by the Edinburgh Graduate Theatre Group at the Diverse Attractions venue between 5-29 Aug 2004. Click on the image for more details.
	4.48 Psychosis was performed by The Chicken's Still Dancing at Greyfriars Kirk House between 24-30 Aug 2004. "The Chicken's Still Dancing Theatre Company divide Kane's text into four voices to physicalise the distorted relationship between body and mind. Three seemingly distinct people face an impassive doctor figure, whose clinical truths explain nothing. In the struggle to become one, the ultimate solution becomes ever more clear. Kane's characteristic dark humour combined with a biting clarity serves only to make this play more poignant." The Chicken's Still Dancing Theatre Company are a group of students from the University of Manchester, a number of whom have experienced mental health problems and who are committed to their greater understanding. Thanks to Charlotte for the information.

4.48 Psychosis in Michigan, USA

Phaedra's Love in NY, USA

O Amor de Fedra in Portugal

A Portuguese Phaedra´s Love was on at Teatro Taborda until 25 Apr 2004.  It was presented by Artistas Unidos who have done a lot of Sarah Kane´s work and are highly recommended. The play was translated by Pedro Marques and directed by Jorge Silva Melo. The cast were Miguel Borges, Teresa Sobral, Carla Galvão, Paulo Moura Lopes, António Filipe, Vítor Correia, Pedro Marques, Sérgio Grilo, Hugo Samora and Sérgio Gomes. Thanks to Artistas Unidos for the information.  Click on the image for more details.

Hipólito vive fechado no quarto, vê televisão e deleita-se com os seus brinquedos caros. Está doente. Os outros não existem. É com o suicídio de Fedra que o príncipe percebe que não tem lugar no mundo: "Se tivesse havido mais momentos como este." O Amor de Fedra é uma recriação moderna e convulsiva do mito: e uma estranha peça de câmara…

Fedra És difícil. Temperamental, cínico, amargo, gordo, decadente, mimado. Passas o dia na cama, vês televisão à noite, arrastas-te pela casa com o sono nos olhos e não tens um pensamento para ninguém. Sofres. Eu adoro-te.
Hipóloto Não é muito lógico.
Fedra O amor não é lógico.
Sarah Kane, O Amor de Fedra

Cleansed Canadian premiere

Phaedra's Love and Crave in Aberystwyth, Wales

4.48 Psychosis in Belfast, Northern Ireland

The Queens University Players performed 4.48 Psychosis in Belfast from 24-26 Feb 2004.

The director was Miriam Haughton, the producer was Katie Clifford.  The actors were Nicola Bailey-James, Claire Rafferty, Anna Whitwham, Jonny McMillen and Des Kennedy. It was on at the Old Museum Arts Centre (OMAC) Belfast. Click on the image left for details of the theatre.  Thanks to Miriam for the information.

Click here for more rehearsal and production photos

Crave in London, UK: extended run

Crave was back at Battersea Arts Centre (BAC) in London from 3-22 Feb 2004, and then an extended run from 2-5 Mar 2004.

The director was Matt Peover.  The actors were Maya Barcot, Mark Bell, Laura Cameron and Justin Mitchell Davey.

Site visitor Dave says (thanks Dave) "I went to first performance this evening so there was the odd mistake. Even so, it is a very interesting production. A lot of lines brought about roars of laughter from one or two people at a time, but there was no instance of the crowd laughing together. As I suppose that is the intention of the text the performance must be considered a success. I am not entirely convinced that Crave works as a theatrical production, which is possibly why there have been so few attempts at staging the piece in Britain. There is no linear plot or even dramatic action as such. Liquid Theatre have added enough, by their interpretation of the text, to ensure that there is something to look at as well as listen to. In all honesty, however, I would not suggest that anyone should go out of their way to see this production unless they were already a fan of Sarah Kane's work".

Jess on the discussion pages says (thanks Jess):  "I've just come from the BAC production and thought it was very well performed. This Crave is presented in a new way. The characters are in a room with a seated table with bottles of wine and glasses on in one corner, plus a couple of wooden chairs in the middle - we could be in a pub or wine bar, or in the living room of one of the characters. The play is a group conversation. The cast sit, get up, and stand in various attitudes, while speaking the lines as talking to each other in different combinations - sometimes in a pair, sometimes a group of three, occasionally all four. The romantic pairings are still A/C and B/M, but the foursome all interact. Some lines are given a new dimension by being delivered in an emotional tone - excited, impassioned or indignant - especially by C. The two women sometimes touch as though offering each other emotional support; at one point A and M hug while talking to each other, but A then returns to C. Mark Bell makes a reserved, contemplative A. He delivers the famous love monologue piece by piece (pausing before each 'and') in an even, thoughtful tone; he often skulks in corners while the other three are conversing animatedly; only in the final stages does he begin to display more outward emotion. Maya Barcot's M and Justin Mitchell Davey's B make a spirited, tactile couple, and Laura Cameron plays C rather like Jo McInnes played her part in 4.48 Psychosis. I enjoyed this performance, and director Matt Peover is to be congratulated for finding a different way of presenting the play. When Sarah wrote the play without background instructions or stage directions, she intended each individual director to fill in the gaps. Well worth watching."

Blasted USA premiere

The US premiere of Blasted opened in Seattle.  It was by Theater Under the Influence and was on from 20 Feb- 13 Mar 2004.  It was at the Union Garage Performance Center, Seattle.

The director was Matt Fontaine. The actors were Eric Ray Anderson (Ian), Mike Pham (soldier) and Sharia Pierce (Cate). The photos show Ian and Cate.  The photographer is Peter Arthur.

The designers were Jenny Anderson (set), Jennifer Zeyl (costumes), Katie Davis (lights), Sam Doerr (sound), Rob Jones (fights) and Kevin Inouye (effects).  The dramaturge was Stephanie Vella.

The director Matt Fontaine says "Kane makes us deal with the darkest human impulses, and that is a harrowing experience for an actor as well as for the audience. But it's a means to an end. Like all great drama, it is about justice and what it means to be human... Our cast is totally fearless. But despite all the terrible things that happen in Blasted, Sarah Kane's wonderful, dark sense of humor makes it compulsively watchable. It's also one of the most elegantly constructed plays I've ever had the pleasure of working on. We are discovering proof of Sarah Kane's genius daily."

Click on the image left for more details of performances and discussion.

Thanks to Stephanie and Amy for the information and photos.

Cleansed Workshop in NY, USA

Soho Think Tank and the committee presented a workshop of Cleansed, directed by Ken Urban. The actors were Pun Bandhu, Scott Blumenthal, Kelly Hutchinson, Carrie Keranen, Trey Lyford, Richard Toth and Victor Villar-Hauser. It was on 9, 10, 11, 16, 17 and 18 Feb 2004 at the Ohio Theater, New York. Click on the image for more details.  Thanks to Ken for the information.

Click here for more rehearsal and production photos
 

KumQuat Theatre presented Crave in Fitzroy, Australia. Directed by Jessica Murphy and featuring Elise Hearst, Richard Higgins, Michael Parry and Monique Schafter. It was on at Dante’s Upstairs Gallery, Fitzroy on 2-5, 10-12  Sept 2004. Thanks to Jess for the information.