Wiener Festwochen 2011: Wastwater

Wiener Festwochen 2011

Wastwater
Play / Berlin / Austrian Première

Date: May 14 to 17, 20.30;
Discussion with the audience following the performance on May 15
Venue: Halle G
in english language with german supertitles

English lakes are deep; the deepest, called Wastwater, is situated far north in the Lake District. A picture of this lake used to adorn the living room of Simon Stephens\' grandparents. It was Grandpa\'s favourite picture; he has been dead for 20 years; Grandma lives alone, a nonagenarian. Stephens is around age 40 and probably the most important contemporary British playwright. He chose the name of the lake as the title for his latest play although the three independent, mysteriously interconnected scenes are set at the periphery of Heathrow Airport near London and narrate arrivals, stopovers and departures; their structure is so decentralised and timelessly networked that they could be performed in any order. Harry, who was adopted as a child, leaves England and his foster mother Frieda, and she knows that it is forever. Lisa and Mark are on the point of a sexual betrayal that takes them into unimagined realms of darkness, and Sian causes Jonathan to take in a smuggled child: an irrevocable transaction. \"You make one decision. It stays with you. It\'s like the consequences of it get into your bones.\" Katie Mitchell polarises her audience with hyper-realistic emotions. This is the first staging of a Stephens play by the British director.

Cast
Text: Simon Stephens / Director: Dea Loher / Production: Royal Court Theatre, London, Wiener Festwochen / Stage Design and Costumes: Lizzie Clachan / Light Design: Lucy Carter / Sound Design: Gareth Fry / Actors: Linda Bassett, Amanda Hale, Jo McInnes, Paul Ready, Tom Sturridge, Angus Wright

www.festwochen.at