Realism

August 2006

A actor wearing glasses and holding a spoon is in his underwear, sitting on the stage which is covered in sand. In front of him is a dog bowl. He has his back to the camera and is looking at and reaching towards a group of five other actors on a sofa. There are three women and two men dressed in formal officewear are sitting on the arms, back and arms of the sofa.

Overview

The world premiere of a new play by award winning playwright Anthony Neilson, marking the first collaboration between the National Theatre of Scotland and the Edinburgh International Festival.

Anthony Neilson’s previous Festival commission ‘The Wonderful World of Dissocia’ was a huge critical and commercial success; at once hilarious and deeply serious, it affirmed Neilson’s status as one of the major voices in contemporary theatre. Realism will reunite Anthony with The Wonderful World of Dissocia’s creative team, Miriam Buether, set designer, Chahine Yavroyan, lighting designer and composer, Nick Powell.

Anthony Neilson also directed ‘The Death of Klinghoffer’ for the Edinburgh International Festival in 2005 and earlier this year he directed HOME Edinburgh, one of the 10 theatre projects that launched the National Theatre of Scotland in February 2006.

WINNER Herald Angel 2006