Caryl Churchill’s latest short works, staged with immaculate focus by James Macdonald, blaze forth in outstanding American debuts exploring myths, spirits, and the human condition in a world that is both fascinating and unsettling.
Haute Weird: Caryl Churchill‘s American Debut at the Public Theater
Caryl Churchill, England‘s greatest living playwright, has left us with appalling questions across more than 50 years of clinical yet fiercely moral studies of the human animal. Her latest short works, staged with immaculate focus by ‘immaculate focus’ James Macdonald, blaze forth in outstanding American debuts.
Caryl Churchill is a celebrated British playwright, known for her innovative and provocative works that often explore the complexities of human relationships.
Born in 1938, Churchill has written over 20 plays, including 'Cloud Nine' (1979) and 'Top Girls' (1982).
Her writing style blends elements of realism and fantasy, tackling themes such as feminism, class, and identity.
A two-time Olivier Award winner, Churchill's work continues to be performed and studied worldwide for its intellectual depth and emotional resonance.
The Hallucinatory World of Haute Weird
These four short works range from 12 minutes to an hour and each has a dreamy queasiness overlaid with terse, suggestive language that carries undertones of ‘violence.’ They explore myths, spirits, and other denizens of an unseen realm, a world that is both fascinating and unsettling.
Glass: A Story of Child Abuse and Suicide
Glass follows a fragile but feisty girl made of glass (Ayana Workman) as it veers into a story of child abuse and suicide. The play’s dreamy quality is tempered by terse, suggestive language that carries undertones of ‘violence.’ Caryl Churchill‘s masterful use of language creates a sense of unease, drawing the audience into the world of Glass.
Kill: A Deity’s Lament
Kill presents a debonair deity (Deirdre O’Connell) perched on a cloud summarizing Greek myths with a breeziness that curdles into anguish. As she catalogues a fugue of incest, murder, vengeance, and chopping children into a stew, the audience is drawn into a world of ancient horrors. O’Connell‘s performance is both mesmerizing and terrifying.
Deirdre O'Connell is an American actress of Irish descent.
Born on November 24, 1953, in New York City, she began her acting career on stage before transitioning to television and film.
O'Connell has appeared in numerous productions, including the TV series 'The Leftovers' and films like 'American Horror Story'. She has received several award nominations for her performances, showcasing her versatility as an actress.
What If If Only: A Modern Mystery Play
What If If Only is a modern mystery play about a grieving man (Sathya Sridharan) learning to live in the present, buffeted by ghosts of the future. The play explores themes of grief, loss, and redemption, creating a sense of tension that propels the audience forward.
Imp: A Shaggy Domestic Tale
The one-act Imp is a shaggy domestic tale with glimmers of the occult. A wish-fulfilling sprite corked up in a bottle by a sickly ex-nurse (O’Connell again) watches over her inscrutable cousin (John Ellison Conlee) and their Irish niece (Adelind Horan). The play’s tone is both whimsical and unsettling, creating a sense of unease that lingers long after the curtain falls.
The Power of Caryl Churchill‘s Language
Caryl Churchill‘s language is often spare and blunt, resting crushing concepts atop the steel bones of a terse phrase. Her use of imagery and metaphor creates a world that is both vivid and unsettling, drawing the audience into her hallucinatory vignettes. Whether exploring myths, spirits, or the human condition, ‘Churchill’s writing’ is both beautiful and terrifying.
A Privilege to Witness
The cast, led by O’Connell and Conlee, deliver performances of tremendous grit and spontaneity. The set design, created by Miriam Buether, is a marvel of morphing interiors that create an arch vaudeville vibe (or, since it’s ‘Churchill,’ oddville). The lighting and sound design, courtesy of Isabella Byrd and Bray Poor, contribute to the dual aura of magic and menace.
Tragedy in Every Frame
Tragedy isn’t just flowery language and flashy emoting in the playhouse. It’s bleeding on the street, shivering in the park. Caryl Churchill establishes a quirky running joke: Jimmy describes various acquaintances and strangers he encounters on his runs, whose stories are barely concealed summaries of Greek tragedies and Shakespearean classics.
A tragedy is a dramatic work that typically involves suffering, loss, and often death.
It often explores the human condition, highlighting themes such as fate, morality, and the consequences of actions.
In literature, tragedy is characterized by a tragic hero who undergoes a downfall due to their own flaws or circumstances.
Tragedy has been a staple of storytelling across cultures and centuries, with famous examples including Greek tragedies like Sophocles' 'Oedipus Rex' and Shakespeare's 'Macbeth'.
A World on Stage
All the world is Caryl Churchill‘s stage. The Public Theater’s production of Glass. Kill. What If If Only. Imp. is a testament to her genius, creating a world that is both fascinating and unsettling. Don’t miss this opportunity to witness one of the greatest living playwrights at work.
