Wed, Nov 10, 2004, 8 pm
Thu, Nov 11, 2004, 8 pm
Fri, Nov 12, 2004, 8 pm
Sat, Nov 13, 2004, 2 pm
Sat, Nov 13, 2004, 8 pm
Sun, Nov 14, 2004, 3 pm
Sun, Nov 14, 2004, 7 pm

Venue: Zellerbach Playhouse

Price: $65

Subscription Series: Theater Series

London's Royal Court Theatre, recently described by The New York Times as "the most important theater in Europe," has wielded a powerful influence over theatrical life in the 20th century by championing the adventurous voices of new playwrights. The Royal Court premiered all of maverick young writer George Bernard Shaw's landmark plays, as well as such later theatrical milestones as Osborne's Look Back in Anger, Guare's Six Degrees of Separation, works by Beckett and Sartre, and groundbreaking contemporary plays by David Hare, Caryl Churchill, Hanif Kureshi — and Sarah Kane. Her first provocative drama, Blasted, received its world premiere at the Royal Court, and was immediately recognized as one of the most important British plays of the decade. Kane went on to premiere five more acclaimed — and wildly controversial — plays at the Royal Court before she committed suicide in 1998. Hauntingly prescient about her own attempts to quell her inner demons, Kane's final play, 4.48 Psychosis, is a powerful summation of her short, brave career — a beautiful and bruising work about medicine's inability to understand, contain, and normalize "madness." "An astonishing coup de theatre," says the Daily Telegraph (London).

Read the The New York Times article: Sarah Kane's Second Life (October 24, 2004)

Please note that accessing this article might require free registration and is time sensitive (expires Oct 30, 2004).

Supported by the British Council:

Patron Information

Please note: The production will be performed without intermission. In addition, there is absolutely no late seating. So as not to disrupt the performance, latecomers will not be admitted.

Program Notes: Program notes are available online, click here.

Parking Alerts: Parking may be more difficult on campus for both the Thu, Nov 11, and Fri, Nov 12, performances due to Cal Basketball home games. Please see our Parking Alert section for more information.

Education and Community Events:
Added Campus Residency Event: "New Play Development at London's Royal Court Theatre"
A Discussion with Playwright Michael Wynne and Associate Director Ramin Gray
Thursday, November 11 at 4:00-5:00 p.m in Zellerbach Playhouse
Free and Open to the Public!
Flyer (PDF)

Related Performances:
Robert Lepage's The Busker's Opera

Artists links:
Official Royal Court Theatre site