England

by Tim Crouch

"The patients like to look at the paintings. It helps them to feel better about their illnesses." The grateful recipient of a heart transplant travels 4000 miles to thank the widow of the donor and to present her with a very special gift. But much more than a life has been lost. Written and performed in art galleries, England tells a compelling story for our times - a disturbing tale of transactions and translations, of culture and commerce, of one thing being placed inside another without thought for the consequences. Presented by two guides, it is a tour to the end of the world. England was first performed at the Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh, in August 2007.

Genres: Plays, Drama, Theatre

64 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Maho · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two acts. The first one is art art art, the second one is life life life and death. You understand what it is all about in the second act and it is like a blow.

Man, that was bloody SOMETHING.

The theme of ‘space/spatiality’ runs through the play highly powerfully and effectively. Is it the same heart in the guide as it WAS in Hassam? Is the work of art in the house the same as it WAS in the gallery?

[Arianna Mandorino · Rating 4 out of 5]

i cried the entire time

[Camilla Brambilla Pisoni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tim Crouch is a genius.

A heart-breaking and mind-opening play for galleries that pushes the audience into visualizing a collection of paintings with their mind’s eye, liberating them from the constrictions and boundaries of the theatre and encouraging them to ‘look’ around them and find the therapeutic power of the art that surrounds them every day of their lives.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

fua no he entes res pero no sta mal

[Reyna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Striking. Had to read it again because I realized I didn’t understand what was happening until near the end— one of the most effective content-determining-form plays I’ve ever read.

[Gabrielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Looking for interesting plays... this one said "A play for galleries" -- hmmm. I'm not sure how. I'm not sure I've ever liked a play from Oberon Modern Plays. I should learn.