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Review: 4.48 Psychosis (Royal Court)

Review by Daz Gale


⭐️⭐️⭐️


Warning: This review discusses the play’s themes, including depression and suicide


In 2000, Sarah Kane’s final play 4.48 Psychosis premiered at London’s Royal Court in the smaller of their two spaces upstairs. 25 years later, it returns to the same space - if that doesn’t bring a sense of poignancy and nostalgia with it, the fact it has reunited the entire cast and creative team for this run certainly will. The play was acclaimed and deemed a masterpiece on its first outing - would the response be the same this time around, and for my first experience with the show, would my thoughts align?



4.48 Psychosis places the audience straight into the mind of an unnamed protagonist who is grappling with severe depression. As they plan to end their life, fragments of their thoughts are played out in an unflinching 70 minutes that attempt to give an insight into a psyche that is very much on the edge,


It may not sound like the lightest of watches, and it certainly is heavy going, although that’s not to say there aren’t a few lighter moments peppered amongst the darkness. For the most part, however, it is deliberately uncomfortable with these fragments of thoughts changing subject at a moment's notice. It can be hard to follow because of this, and is sure to prove divisive but the attempts to replicate very raw and real thoughts remain at the core of the play, and never wavers.



Playwright Sarah Kane's writing is certainly bold and uncompromising. Given the writer’s own struggles with depression and her own death the year before 4.48 Psychosis originally premiered, there is certainly an added poignancy to the play - one that has only grown in time as it speaks to the timelessness of art and grants Kane’s work further life. While I can appreciate the boldness and uncompromising authenticity of her work, I mentioned it is bound to prove divisive. As for what side I fit into when it comes to my thoughts on this play, I’m afraid I’m going to have to sit on the fence somewhat and stay somewhere in the middle.


Appreciating the work, understanding it and enjoying it (though the word enjoy may not be the most suitable in this situation) are three wildly different things, and I found myself flitting back and forth on the latter two throughout the play. While the writing and performances prove strong, I couldn’t connect with the piece whatsoever and found it surprisingly cold. Theatre is, of course, subjective and your own response to a play can be dependent on your own experiences, situation, and personality, but for one reason or another, there was something stopping me from truly immersing myself into this unflinching world and truly appreciating the writing.



One thing that cannot be faulted about 4.48 Psychosis is the talent of the three cast members, collectively taking on the role of the unnamed protagonist in the story. There is an intensity in the performances of Daniel Evans, Jo McInnes, and Madeleine Potter - all three of whom offer light and shade as they deliver their own take on the character, some aspects of which are contrasting to each other, others all merging together to form one collective. Essentially, three strands of the same thoughts, their performances are all staggeringly good. It is also quite fitting to see co-Artistic Director of the RSC, Daniel Evans, reprise his role in this play, ahead of taking it to the RSC following its short London run.


James Macdonald’s direction delivers some inspired choices when it comes to Kane’s writing and the three performers, with a breathtakingly impactful design from Jeremy Herbert making the intimate space of Royal Court’s Jerwood Theatre Upstairs feeling somewhat inescapable, allowing the audience to truly lose themselves into the piece (which makes the fact I couldn’t connect personally even more surprising). A great use of lighting from Nigel Edwards and projection from Ben Walden makes the visuals continually thrilling and varied.



4.48 Psychosis is certainly an interesting play and unlike any I have seen before. As I have mentioned, I have a great appreciation for the art itself and the way the piece has been delivered this time around. Subjectivity is more apparent with this production than most of the others I have seen, and it is a shame I struggled to get much out of it myself. Leaving the theatre feeling confused, cold, and slightly uninspired, I couldn’t fault the choices in the production or Kane’s often exquisite writing in itself, I just couldn’t understand why my response to it was so indifferent.


4.48 Psychosis plays at Royal Court’s Jerwood Theatre Upstairs until 5th July.

It then moves to the RSC’s The Other Place in Stratford-upon-Avon from 10th - 27th July.


Photos by Marc Brenner

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