Ecstasy: Three Tales of Chemical Romance
Encyclopedia
Ecstasy: Three Tales of Chemical Romance is a collection of three novella
s by Irvine Welsh
.
Another nurse at the hospital, Glen, has been secretly admiring Lorraine but after a night at a club, decides to pursue her friend Yvonne instead. Meanwhile, Glen has been accepting money from Freddy Royle, a necrophilia
c TV personality. The hospital trustees turn a blind eye to Freddy's nefarious pastime but have to do some fast talking when the new coroner begins asking questions.
) victim, enlists a sex-depraved football hooligan, Dave, to help her seek revenge on the last man left alive who pushed the drug who caused her deformed arms, the drug's marketing director.
The story is told in flashbacks from Samantha's past, flashbacks of the drug marketer's past and his present well-being, and a first person perspective from Dave's eyes.
It is known as a "psychedelic" novel.
-loving suburban husband and starts a new life amongst the rave
scene, where she meets Lloyd.
The film based on The Undefeated was produced and directed by Rob Heydon
in 2011.
Irvine Welsh had this to say about the play, Ecstasy:
"I feel that Ecstasy, by Raven Productions, has been the best theatrical adaptation of my work to date, and I've seen different productions all over the world. I feel that it has fully realized the potential of the story "The Undefeated", giving the text a power which I felt it lacked on the page. It fully captures the spirit I intended, and in its control of pace and use of environment, it creates a unique theatrical experience. It made writing the thing worthwhile; artistically, the play delivered the book for me. I was surprised just how excellent this production was, and I could not believe the empathy and skill with which Keith Wyatt handled the dramatization of this piece."
- From the introduction to 4 Play, a published collection of stage adaptations of Irvine Welsh novels from Vintage, Random House.
derived their name from this book. Mikey Way, the bassist
, saw the book while working at Barnes & Noble
in New Jersey
.
and was released in 2011. It was produced and directed by Rob Heydon
.
Novella
A novella is a written, fictional, prose narrative usually longer than a novelette but shorter than a novel. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Nebula Awards for science fiction define the novella as having a word count between 17,500 and 40,000...
s by Irvine Welsh
Irvine Welsh
Irvine Welsh is a contemporary Scottish novelist, best known for his novel Trainspotting. His work is characterised by raw Scottish dialect, and brutal depiction of the realities of Edinburgh life...
.
Lorraine Goes To Livingston
After suffering a stroke, Rebecca Navarro, a best-selling romance novelist, discovers the truth about her corrupt, pornography-loving husband. With the help of Lorraine, her sexually confused nurse, she plots her revenge.Another nurse at the hospital, Glen, has been secretly admiring Lorraine but after a night at a club, decides to pursue her friend Yvonne instead. Meanwhile, Glen has been accepting money from Freddy Royle, a necrophilia
Necrophilia
Necrophilia, also called thanatophilia or necrolagnia, is the sexual attraction to corpses,It is classified as a paraphilia by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association. The word is artificially derived from the ancient Greek words: νεκρός and φιλία...
c TV personality. The hospital trustees turn a blind eye to Freddy's nefarious pastime but have to do some fast talking when the new coroner begins asking questions.
Fortune's Always Hiding
Samantha Worthington, an angry and bitter 'Tenazedrine' (ThalidomideThalidomide
Thalidomide was introduced as a sedative drug in the late 1950s that was typically used to cure morning sickness. In 1961, it was withdrawn due to teratogenicity and neuropathy. There is now a growing clinical interest in thalidomide, and it is introduced as an immunomodulatory agent used...
) victim, enlists a sex-depraved football hooligan, Dave, to help her seek revenge on the last man left alive who pushed the drug who caused her deformed arms, the drug's marketing director.
The story is told in flashbacks from Samantha's past, flashbacks of the drug marketer's past and his present well-being, and a first person perspective from Dave's eyes.
It is known as a "psychedelic" novel.
The Undefeated
The longest story, The Undefeated, presents slice-of-life episodes from the lives of two recreational drug users. Lloyd, an aging clubber, begins to question his life and considers the possibility of falling in love. Housewife Heather leaves her Dire StraitsDire Straits
Dire Straits were a British rock band active from 1977 to 1995, composed of Mark Knopfler , his younger brother David Knopfler , John Illsley , and Pick Withers .Dire Straits' sound drew from a variety of musical influences, including jazz, folk, blues, and came closest...
-loving suburban husband and starts a new life amongst the rave
Rave
Rave, rave dance, and rave party are parties that originated mostly from acid house parties, which featured fast-paced electronic music and light shows. At these parties people dance and socialize to dance music played by disc jockeys and occasionally live performers...
scene, where she meets Lloyd.
The film based on The Undefeated was produced and directed by Rob Heydon
Rob Heydon
Rob Heydon is an award winning Canadian film director who has shot music videos, feature films and documentaries....
in 2011.
'Welsh smoothly demonstrates his belief in the liberating power of dance culture. Most interestingly, he avoids the easy route of claiming utopia. If drugs can liberate you, then they can as easily ruin you.'
Stage adaptation
Soon after publication the book was adapted for the stage by Canadian playwright, Keith Wyatt. Debuting at the Edmonton Fringe Festival (1998) the play was considered to be a tremendous hit, leading to its subsequent tour across Canada (1999), and on to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. In Edinburgh, the production was attended by the story's original author, Irvine Welsh, whose appreciation for the play led to its international publication in an omnibus of Irvine Welsh stage adaptations titled ["4 Play"] through Vintage/Random House UK.Irvine Welsh had this to say about the play, Ecstasy:
"I feel that Ecstasy, by Raven Productions, has been the best theatrical adaptation of my work to date, and I've seen different productions all over the world. I feel that it has fully realized the potential of the story "The Undefeated", giving the text a power which I felt it lacked on the page. It fully captures the spirit I intended, and in its control of pace and use of environment, it creates a unique theatrical experience. It made writing the thing worthwhile; artistically, the play delivered the book for me. I was surprised just how excellent this production was, and I could not believe the empathy and skill with which Keith Wyatt handled the dramatization of this piece."
- From the introduction to 4 Play, a published collection of stage adaptations of Irvine Welsh novels from Vintage, Random House.
Cultural reference
The band My Chemical RomanceMy Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance is an American alternative rock band from New Jersey, formed in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist Gerard Way, guitarists Ray Toro and Frank Iero, and bassist Mikey Way and have a diverse sound incorporating elements of punk, emo, glam metal, and progressive rock...
derived their name from this book. Mikey Way, the bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
, saw the book while working at Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble, Inc. is the largest book retailer in the United States, operating mainly through its Barnes & Noble Booksellers chain of bookstores headquartered at 122 Fifth Avenue in the Flatiron District in Manhattan in New York City. Barnes & Noble also operated the chain of small B. Dalton...
in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
.
Film
A film version of Ecstasy was announced at the 2008 Toronto International Film FestivalToronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival is a publicly-attended film festival held each September in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 2010, 339 films from 59 countries were screened at 32 screens in downtown Toronto venues...
and was released in 2011. It was produced and directed by Rob Heydon
Rob Heydon
Rob Heydon is an award winning Canadian film director who has shot music videos, feature films and documentaries....
.