April 29th to May 2nd 2009
Directed by Andrew Caple
'Love and sex are like politics: it's not what you say that matters, still less what you mean, but what you do.'
Set in 90's contemporary London, Closer takes a cynical and painfully accurate look at relationships. Both romantic comedy and brutal analysis of modern love, it is a play about the kindness of strangers and the cruelty of desire. Don't miss an opportunity to see the original stage play of the award winning film - one of the best plays of the 1990s.
Both romantic comedy and brutal anatomy of modern love, Closer is a play about the kindness of strangers and the cruelty of desire. We laugh and cringe at the characters' attitudes towards sex and love as we follow Anna (a photographer), Alice (a stripper), Dan (an obituarist) and Larry (a dermatologist) - all involved in the 'body business' - over four and a half years through their experiences of marriage, adultery, jealousy, betrayal and revenge.
Closer comments on both genders with observational accuracy, 4 real characters with real and recognisable strengths and weaknesses. Alice manipulates men with her sexuality, while Anna intimidates them with her intelligence. And, as the women say, the men spend their whole lives having sex and never learn how to make love.
This play is an essential analysis of modern relationships. The balance of power continually shifts as reaction follows reaction. Like the Newton’s Cradle on Larry’s office desk, the four characters are bound by the law of physics (for every action, there is an equal an opposite reaction) - can't live together, can't live apart - each decision they make triggering an unwanted, yet predictable, response.
Closer is a work that gets under it's audience's skin; Often too close for comfort, it is not a play for the emotionally squeamish.
'There is no such thing as an honest relationship. The best you can hope for is an honest relationship with yourself'
The play was first performed in the National in May 1997, directed by Patrick Marber with Clive Owen (Dan), Liza Walker (Alice), Sally Dextor (Anna), and Ciaran Hinds (Larry). It was a Winner of the Olivier 'Best New Play', the Evening Standard 'Best New Comedy' and the Critics' Circle 'Best Play' awards.
The film version was released in 2004 staring with Jude Law (Dan), Natalie Portman (Alice), Clive Owen (Larry) and Julia Roberts (Anna). The film version is very true to the play, however the ending was changed following test screenings to better suit 'American sensibilities'.
Auditions for 'Closer' will be held in Spring 2009. The characters are 2 Male / 2 Female aged somewhere between 20 and 40.
| Dan - a man from the suburbs | |
| Larry - a man from the city | |
| Alice - a girl from the town | |
| Anna - a woman from the country |