by Peter Weiss
directed by Gary Walsh
On July 13, 1808 at the Charenton Insane Asylum just outside Paris, the Marquis de Sade stages a play about the murder of Jean-Paul Marat by Charlotte Corday.
The actual title, The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton under the Direction of Monsieur de Sade, describes the action in this explosively theatrical play: In the aftermath of the French Revolution, the infamous Marquis de Sade stages a play for the asylum’s director, his family, and guests, using himself and his fellow inmates as the cast, assisted by various staff members. De Sade directs the action, which consists of songs, commentaries and wild outbursts as the line between theatre and real life disintegrates. What might have been a helpful therapeutic activity for the inmates gets out of hand as the violence onstage unleashes the madness and rage within. Primed for a new generation of theater-goers, this Tony Award winner for Best Play is an experience not to be missed.