Theater in NYC: The Dance of Death by August Strindberg at Classic Stage Company
August Strindberg’s 19th-century drama The Dance of Death opens in repertory at the Classic Stage Company from February 10, 2019 through March 10, 2019
A discerning examination of a married couple’s bond is observed by August Strindberg in The Dance of Death, which is staged by Classic Stage Company. Strindberg’s play, adapted for this new version by Conor McPherson and directed by Victoria Clark, was written in 1900 when the playwright himself was in the midst of a divorce. The elements of Strindberg’s personal life, the ills of Sweden’s society at the turn of the previous century, the ever-present concerns about complacency, competing intentions, and ubiquitous soul-searching are all interwoven into the story.
Stuck on a remote island at the coastal artillery outpost, the couple’s relationships grew from slight annoyance with each other to open contempt. Haunted by the aversion to their associates and the disdain of their superiors, Edgar, authentically played by Richard Topol, and his wife Alice, accurately portrayed by Cassie Beck, isolate themselves to the company of each other with no discernible way out of the tense situation. The arrival of their old friend and relative Kurt, played with ease by Christopher Innvar, promises a chance of revival and change. Yet, in Strindberg’s keen depiction of reality, the dark forces dominate and the jabs only get more potent furling the couple closer together in their unhappy dance to the end. Get tickets at 56% off with TodayTIX