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Overview

Synopsis

In the mid-1990s, in an expensive hotel room in Leeds, a middle-aged man seduces a young woman. When she resists, he rapes her. At the same time this man--journalist Ian--attacks naive, simple-minded Cate, a war rages outside the hotel. After a soldier breaks into the room, a mortar shell blasts away the wall of the hotel, crushing the violence of the hotel room into the violence of the world outside. Originally called a “disgusting feast of filth,” Blasted has since been recognized as a visceral and poetic investigation of the horrors of conflict and bloodshed, largely inspired by the Yugoslav wars. Beyond its violent action, Sarah Kane’s first play is lauded as a portrayal of how humanity attempts to survive in the face of unimaginable death and destruction.

Show Information

Book
Sarah Kane
Category
Play
Age Guidance
Mature Audiences (M)
Number of Acts
1
First Produced
1995
Genres
Drama, Tragedy
Settings
Contemporary, Spectacle, Unit/Single Set
Time & Place
hotel room, Leeds, England, 1990s
Cast Size
small
Licensor
Samuel French
Ideal For
College/University, Mature Audiences, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Small Cast, Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Young Adult Characters

Context

Plot

Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Ian

Lead

Male

Spoken

Cate

Lead

Female

Spoken

Soldier

Supporting

Male

Spoken

Songs

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A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.

Monologues

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Scenes

All scenes are the property and copyright of their owners. Scenes are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this scene, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

Key Terms

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Videos

Quizzes

Themes, Symbols & Motifs

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Quote Analysis

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Guide Written By:

Cindi Calhoun

Cindi Calhoun

Theatre teacher, director, writer, and seamstress