London's Almeida Theatre is staging Sarah Kane's 1998 play "Cleansed," a production described by critic Patrick Marmion as "bleak and brutal," leading him to withhold his usual star rating. The play, which opened this summer, confronts audiences with "blood-soaked sex and depravity," including themes of torture and a depiction of sexual assault.
Marmion's review highlights the play's relentless nature, noting that it "often feels relentless and random," yet also acknowledges it as a "desperate, gruesome search for love and redemption." He praised the cast, including Leo Bill as a sadistic physician, and Pearl Chanda and Jack Riddiford as tormented siblings, for their performances in Rebecca Frecknall's "grimly uncompromising production." The set design, resembling a hospital corridor, further enhances the grim atmosphere.
Despite his reservations about recommending the show as an enjoyable outing, Marmion expressed internal debate about awarding it four stars, solely based on the strength of the acting. He also pointed out the tragic irony that author Sarah Kane died by suicide the year after writing "Cleansed."
In contrast to the dark themes of "Cleansed," Marmion reviewed "The Importance of Being Oscar" at the Park Theatre, awarding it four out of five stars. This one-man show, a revival of a 1960 tribute to Oscar Wilde, stars Alastair Whatley in a performance that "weaves together everything from his lush early poems to passing quips, and passages from plays." The production traces Wilde's life from his creative heights to his later struggles, including his conviction for gross indecency and his works "De Profundis" and "The Ballad of Reading Gaol."
Whatley's portrayal, framed by "portals to another dimension" suggested by lighting, was noted for lending "depth and complexity to Wilde." The review described the performance and Michael Fentiman's direction as a "subtle fusion of the antique and modern."
The run of "Cleansed" at the Almeida Theatre is scheduled to conclude on August 29, while "The Importance of Being Oscar" is on stage until August 22.