Blasted, Lyric Hammersmith

Naturalistic, and slow, revival of Sarah Kane’s legendary 1995 debut

by Aleks SierzThursday, 28 October 2010

Hold onto me: Danny Webb and Lydia Wilson in 'Blasted'Simon Kane

If any play of the past two decades deserves the label legendary it must be Sarah Kane’s debut, which was condemned as “this disgusting feast of filth” on its arrival in 1995, but is now firmly ensconced in the canon of contemporary playwriting. Although the shock of its original production, which in retrospect simply heralded the appearance of a distinctive new voice, has led audiences to expect a similarly frightful experience every time it is revived, subsequent productions have emphasised the play’s poetry and its relevance.

A soldier has arrived, a civil war is in progress, and onstage atrocities begin to pile up as surely as corpses in any military conflict

Buy

Old Bridge, Bush Theatre review - powerful, poetic and profound

Explore topics

Share this article

...

Permalink Submitted by Chris Devine (not verified) on Mon, 08/11/2010 - 12:47

Travelled to London to see Blasted for the first time on Thursday, hoping to be impressed. Unfortunately there was very little to be impressed about. What became abundantly clear as the evening progressed, was the unescapable conclusion that the late author Sarah Kane, was not a very talented playwright. The play fails desperately due mainly to the authors lack of maturity and very evident lack of life experience , reflected in the one demensional characters and unconvincing dialogue. No amount of foul deeds can cover an absence of ability.

Immature? There is nothing

Permalink Submitted by Anonymous :) (not verified) on Sun, 08/04/2012 - 22:55

Immature? There is nothing immature about showing the effects of war, this play is very current and relative and a real inside look to what, unfortunately, actually happens when humans are fighting for survival for unethical reasons, nuances of Karma and and how two unsuspecting characters are thrown into a war zone where no authority or government is going to bother saving you. It's shocking yes, but that's life and I salute Kane for having the courage to write about such conspiracy and turmoil, and passionate about making such topics and issues normally 'conversations behind closed doors' open to public speculation and realisation. :)

Add comment

The future of Arts Journalism

You can stop theartsdesk.com closing!

We urgently need financing to survive. Our fundraising drive has thus far raised £33,000 but we need to reach £100,000 or we will be forced to close. Please contribute here: https://gofund.me/c3f6033d

And if you can forward this information to anyone who might assist, we’d be grateful.

Subscribe to theartsdesk.com

Thank you for continuing to read our work on theartsdesk.com. For unlimited access to every article in its entirety, including our archive of more than 15,000 pieces, we're asking for £5 per month or £40 per year. We feel it's a very good deal, and hope you do too.

To take a subscription now simply click here.

And if you're looking for that extra gift for a friend or family member, why not treat them to a theartsdesk.com gift subscription?

more Theatre

This is My Family, Southwark Playhouse - London debut of 2013 Sheffield hit is feeling its age Relatable or stereotyped - that's for you to decide

The Frogs, Southwark Playhouse review - great songs save updated Aristophanes comedy Tone never settles, but Sondheim's genius carries the day

Mrs Warren's Profession, Garrick Theatre review - mother-daughter showdown keeps it in the family Shaw's once-shocking play pairs Imelda Staunton with her real-life daughter

The Crucible, Shakespeare's Globe review - stirring account of paranoia and prejudice Ince's fidelity to the language allows every nuance to be exposed

The Fifth Step, Soho Place review - wickedly funny two-hander about defeating alcoholism David Ireland pits a sober AA sponsor against a livewire drinker, with engaging results

The Deep Blue Sea, Theatre Royal Haymarket review - Tamsin Greig honours Terence Rattigan The 1952 classic lives to see another day in notably name-heavy revival

The Brightening Air, Old Vic review - Chekhov jostles Conor McPherson in writer-director's latest The Irishman's first new play in over a decade is engaging but overstuffed

1536, Almeida Theatre review - fast and furious portrayal of women in Henry VIII's England This wild, intelligent play is a tour de force till the doom-laden finale

The Comedy About Spies, Noel Coward Theatre review - 'Goes Wrong' team hit the spot again More mayhem from the Mischief company

House of Games, Hampstead Theatre review - adapted Mamet screenplay entertains but is defanged Richard Bean has turned Mamet's steel trap into an amusing puzzle

Here We Are, National Theatre review - Sondheim's sensational swan song The late composer bids farewell with a show made-to-order for now

Giant, Harold Pinter Theatre review - incendiary Roald Dahl drama with topical bite John Lithgow gives a masterclass in delivering a 'human booby trap'

Follow @theartsdesk