Phaedra's Love
Encyclopedia
Phaedra's Love is a play
by British playwright Sarah Kane
. It was first performed in 1996 at London's Gate Theatre
, directed by the author. The play is a modern adaptation of Seneca
's Phaedra
. The play explores the brutal nature of love, social relations, nihilism and belief through the example of an affair between a queen and her stepson.
It centres more on Hippolytus
(the original focuses more on Phaedra), who is rendered lazy and cynical by his upbringing as the son of King Theseus
. Unlike classical drama, most of the violent action happens on stage rather than off.
Kane described Phaedra's Love as "My comedy".
Play
Play may refer to:* Play , enjoyment by animals including humans* Play , structured literary form of theatre-Bands:* Play , Mexican band* Play , Swedish band-Albums:...
by British playwright Sarah Kane
Sarah Kane
Sarah Kane was an English playwright. Her plays deal with themes of redemptive love, sexual desire, pain, torture — both physical and psychological — and death. They are characterised by a poetic intensity, pared-down language, exploration of theatrical form and, in her earlier work, the use of...
. It was first performed in 1996 at London's Gate Theatre
Gate Theatre
The Gate Theatre, in Dublin, was founded in 1928 by Hilton Edwards and Micheál Mac Liammóir, initially using the Abbey Theatre's Peacock studio theatre space to stage important works by European and American dramatists...
, directed by the author. The play is a modern adaptation of Seneca
Seneca the Younger
Lucius Annaeus Seneca was a Roman Stoic philosopher, statesman, dramatist, and in one work humorist, of the Silver Age of Latin literature. He was tutor and later advisor to emperor Nero...
's Phaedra
Phaedra (Seneca)
Phaedra, sometimes known as Hippolytus, is a play by Seneca the Younger, telling the story of Phaedra and her taboo love for her stepson Hippolytus...
. The play explores the brutal nature of love, social relations, nihilism and belief through the example of an affair between a queen and her stepson.
It centres more on Hippolytus
Hippolytus (mythology)
thumb|260px|The Death of Hippolytus, by [[Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema]] .In Greek mythology, Hippolytus was a son of Theseus and either Antiope or Hippolyte...
(the original focuses more on Phaedra), who is rendered lazy and cynical by his upbringing as the son of King Theseus
Theseus
For other uses, see Theseus Theseus was the mythical founder-king of Athens, son of Aethra, and fathered by Aegeus and Poseidon, both of whom Aethra had slept with in one night. Theseus was a founder-hero, like Perseus, Cadmus, or Heracles, all of whom battled and overcame foes that were...
. Unlike classical drama, most of the violent action happens on stage rather than off.
Kane described Phaedra's Love as "My comedy".