2009/07/15 New York
Madness
Glass
“This is worse than Philip Glass,” a man said during the first intermission of “Kalkwerk”, a play based on the novel “Das Kalkwerk” by Thomas Bernhard, performed by Narodowy Stary Teatr at the Gerald W Lynch Theater.
Half of the audience didn’t come back after the first intermission.
I have never seen any work of art that captured the essence of madness as good as this play. I’m not sure if the four-hour-long performance was always that pleasant, but I guess going into the essence of pure madness cannot be an altogether enjoyable experience.
[ Add comment ]
12 comments 
Sounds good. Do you think there's a novel that's done the same? Capturing the essence of madness, I mean. I would personally think of Dostoyevsky's 'Notes from Underground', I think that's a great one. Which novel would you think of?
Arnon
In wich language was it performed?spooky picture. Do they keep a mad person behind these bars?
Mieke
Good question. That website for one is unreadable for me. They could be capturing the essence of madness or advertising for fresh tomatoes there. But since the play is about madness, maybe Jiddisch would be the language of choice? Coming to think of it, would one language be better suited for capturing madness than another? Like Italian is maybe better able to capture longing and desire than, let's say, Dutch?People running away from the theater? Thomas Bernhard has that effect on people, but still ,a play written in German, performed by a Polish compagny and staged in New York. I wonder if language might be part of the problem.
Coen
Apparently this is Thomas Bernhard’s house.Too bad I wasn't there. It's the kind of theater I love to attend.
Mieke
"Kalkwerk" is a novel.Could you stop being provincial? People can handle subtitles and supertitles as well.
Bernhard's house?
That's even more spooky.
He had those bars to keep insanity outside.
Anguished!
That's even more spooky.
He had those bars to keep insanity outside.
Anguished!
I am curious if art can beat reality (I cannot see the play, so maybe I should read the book by Thomas Bernhard – Bernhard, hé, hé…)
As a sane person, watching a play that goes to the essence of pure madness can be enjoyable.
As a close witness of what madness can do to a person and its environment, I must say that madness is hell.
I am going to read the novel.
As a close witness of what madness can do to a person and its environment, I must say that madness is hell.
I am going to read the novel.
[ Add comment ]
