I love you now.
I’m with you now.
I’ll do my best, moment to moment, not to betray you.
Now.
That’s it. No more. Don’t make me lie to you.
What is the most we can truthfully promise?
The inhabitants of an institution are under the control of tinker who inflicts horric experiments on them to test the limits of their love for one another.
Brutal and shocking but poetic and tender, Cleansed is a powerful theatrical experience which maps the beauty and the bleakness of the human heart.
Sarah Kane is widely regarded as the most significant dramatist to have emerged in recent years. Her work has been the cause of extraordinary controversy, with its continuing tension between love and cruelty, and her visual, expressionist style pushes the boundaries of theatrical form. Kane’s artistic vision and her black humour reveal a prophetic awareness of the modern world which remains uniquely her own.
Additional Events:
‘Talking About Kane’ – a free event after the performance on Tues 22 Nov. Sean Holmes in conversation with Aleks Sierz and a panel including theatre critics and leading academics.
‘Post-show talk’ – with the cast and director on Thursday 24 Nov.
A recording of the talk can be found at: http://www.theatrevoice.com/ (search ‘theARCHIVE’ for ‘Cleansed’)
by Sarah KaneWriter: Sarah Kane
Sarah Kane was born in 1971. Her first play, Blasted was produced at the Royal Court Theatre Upstairs in 1995. Her second play Phaedra’s Love was produced at the Gate Theatre in 1996. In April 1998 Cleansed was produced at the Royal Court Theatre Downstairs, and in Septmber 1998, Crave was produced by Pains Plough and Bright Ltd at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh. Her last play, 4.48 Psychosis, premiered at the Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Upstairs in June 2000. Her short film, Skin, produced by British Screen/Channel Four, premiered in June 1997. Sarah Kane died in 1999.
Company: Oxford Stage Company
“Fewer companies work harder to enrich British theatre than the ever enterprising Oxford Stage Company.” Financial Times April 2005
Director: Sean Holmes
Sean Holmes is Associate Director for OSC. Directing credits for OSC include Home, Singer, Searjeant Musgrave’s Dance, Comedians and The Contractor. Other credits include The Price starring Warren Mitchell (Tricycle Theatre, West End and tour). Measure for Measure, Richard III and The Roman Actor (all for the RSC) Incomplete and Random Acts of Kindness (Royal Court). This production will be the first British production of Cleansed since it premiered at the Royal Court in 1998.
