What!!!?

Blasted By Sarah Kane

Going into the Lyric theatre I had high hopes and expectations for Sarah Kane’s play, Blasted.  I knew that the play was going to involve rape, cannibalism, torture, and murder which made me quite curious as to how these issues would come to light to demonstrate the boundaries of morality.

Looking at the set I was impressed.  The hotel room was constructed very beautifully and I appreciated that it was on a slant, so that while the couple was in bed the audience had an unobstructed view of the action taking place on stage.  I liked what I was seeing and I was hoping that if they put as much care into the plot as they did the set than I was in for a treat.  Well, looks can be deceiving! As soon as the play started my excitement turned rapidly into an overwhelming need to flee.  I struggled to suppress this feeling to get through the play.    

I sat in the theatre constantly checking my watch.  I have never wanted to walk out of a play so much in my entire life.  I knew that there were many issues that were going to be involved in the plot, but I felt that there was no plot.  The play centered on a constant bombardment of chaotic events.  It was a mess.  I feel that Sarah Kane’s sole purpose in writing this play was to shock people.  Perhaps it did shock people during the ninety’s when she wrote the play.  The play’s purpose of shocking the audience became laughable to the viewers.  The scene where actor Danny Webb eats the dead baby was not only predictable, but at this point in the film was ridiculous.  It was another in your face moment that made me laugh.  I was laughing because it was so absurd and I wasn’t the only one; several other audience members were laughing as well.  This could have been a moment where the audience could really connect to the character and sympathize, but instead of connecting with the character the audience could care less.  

While I applaud the actors for their talent and effort at salvaging this play; it was a complete mess of sex and violence.  I was confused from the get go.  The plot did not give any background as to the characters and the time period, so the audience is at an ends trying to understand what is occurring.  Many may be able to pull meanings from this play, but I feel that they have to reach pretty far to find a meaning of substance.  The problems were displayed, but there was no depth to them.  

The characters were very interesting, but thoroughly confusing.  They didn’t seem to make any rational sense.  The only thing that saved this play for me was the acting.  While the actors did not have much to work with they seemed to bring these underdeveloped characters to life.  I would very much like to see them in a different play.

By Kyrsten Lew