Theatre as Salvation: A Season of Rediscovery

A critic reflects on the current state of theatre, describing a season marked by physical exhaustion and disillusionment, yet redeemed by transformative performances. The article highlights several productions: Lefteris Voyatzis's staging of Sarah Kane's "Crave" in Athens, which uses a water stage with black algae and four islands to evoke solitude; Tompa Gabor's production of Beckett's "Play" at the Romanian National Festival, combining actors trapped in a cabinet with a burlesque film; André Engel's "The Last Judgment" by Ödön von Horváth, set in a train station with a stopped clock; Christoph Marthaler's subversion of Schubert's "Die schöne Müllerin" in a Swiss context; and TG Stan's essay-performance on Diderot's "Paradox of the Actor." The critic also mentions Jean-Marie Hordé's book "La Mort de l'âme" (Les Solitaires intempestifs), which seeks salvation in Greek thought. The season's low point is contrasted with moments of catharsis, particularly in Voyatzis's production, which ends with actors turning their backs to the audience, echoing Bach's "well-tempered" despair.