Cate Blanchett play at the National Theatre has an audience member fainting
18/01/2019
If a play is called 'When We Have Sufficiently Tortured Each Other' you expect there to be some uncomfortable moments.
But apparently Martin Crimp's play, which is in preview at the National Theatre, is so explicit a woman in the audience fainted during a performance.
Cate Blanchett and Stephen Dillane star in the production and Katie Mitchell directs.
In fact, Mitchell's name should be a second warning for those of sensitive disposition as she isn't known for shying away from topics and behaviour that aren't an easy watch.
There is a warning on the National's website and violence on stage is nothing new - just look at what happens in some of Shakespeare's plays.
When We Have Sufficiently Tortured Each Other has already sold out its run and I suspect that if it hadn't, curiosity about the warnings would drive sales rather than deter.
Necessary or gratuitous
The important question is whether the violence is necessary to the narrative or gratuitous and I'll be able to judge that for myself as @PolyG and I were lucky enough to get tickets in the lottery.
I've only seen one Martin Crimp play before and that was so tedious I actually tried to fall asleep at least there doesn't seem to be any danger of that with 'When We Have...'.
It already has the makings of being the theatre event of the year, I just hope it is for the right reasons.
When We Have Sufficiently Tortured Each Other is at the National Theatre until 2 March.
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