Title: Blasted
Author: Sarah Kane
First published January 1, 1995
61 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9780413766205 (ISBN10: 0413766209)
Rating: 3.58
Overview
Sarah Kane’s Blasted is a groundbreaking play that shook the theatre world when it first premiered in 1995 at the renowned Royal Court Theatre in London. The play explores the complex and often uncomfortable relationship between violence and humanity, with a storyline that follows a horrific rape in a Leeds hotel room and the devastating aftermath of civil war.
Critics were divided about the play’s themes, with some finding it too shocking and controversial. But for Kane, the play was an opportunity to raise important questions about the darker side of human nature and the ways in which we grapple with the concept of violence.
With its raw honesty and uncompromising approach, Blasted is a powerful work of theatre that continues to be relevant to this day.
About the Author
Sarah Kane, an English playwright, delved into the complexities of human emotions in her works. Her plays explore themes of love, desire, pain, torture, and death, and are known for their poetic intensity and innovative use of theatrical form.
Her early works are characterized by stylized violent stage action. However, Kane’s personal life was plagued by depression, which ultimately led to her untimely demise through suicide at London’s King’s College Hospital.
Despite her short career, Kane left a lasting impact on the world of theatre, with a published body of work that includes five plays and one short film.
Editoral Review
Blasted, a play by Sarah Kane that was first published on January 1, 1995, is a traumatizing piece of work that is sure to unsettle even the toughest of readers. Sarah Kane, who was born in England in 1971, was a playwright who became noted for her gritty, intense, and often extremely violent work.
Blasted, which was her first play, was deemed controversial due to its graphic content and portrayal of rape and violence. The play takes place in a hotel room and it follows the story of Ian and Cate, a middle-aged man and a young woman, respectively.
The play opens with Ian and Cate, who are situated in a hotel room, attempting to connect on a romantic level, but their interactions quickly spiral out of control as they are plagued by a series of horrific events, including rape, torture, and cannibalism. The play is set against the backdrop of the Bosnian war and is a commentary on the inhumanity of violence.
Sarah Kane’s writing is excellently executed, with haunting imagery and clever use of symbolism that is both captivating and disorienting. The characters feel real, which makes their exploitation all the more gut-wrenching.
The themes are heavy and can be difficult to read, but they are explored in a way that is intelligent and insightful. However, the play is not without its flaws.
While it is undeniably well-written, the play’s graphic content may be too much for some readers. The play’s commentary on violence is also not groundbreaking, as it has been explored in many other works of literature.
Despite its flaws, Blasted is an essential read for anyone who is looking to explore the depths of the human experience. The play is an important piece of literature that forces readers to confront the darker side of human nature.
It is not a play for the faint of heart, but it is an incredibly powerful one that is sure to leave a lasting impression. In conclusion, Blasted is an excellent debut play that marks Sarah Kane as a gifted writer with a unique voice.
The play is a distressing and difficult read, but it is one that deserves to be read nonetheless. For those who are willing to confront the challenging themes and graphic content, Blasted is a must-read.
Thus, a rating of 4 out of 5 is warranted.
