Blasted by Sara Kane, Toneelschuur Producties
Blasted by Sarah Kane is a violent piece that, to my idea, needs skilled actors with a lot of experience. And although I am often not very positive about Dutch theatre, with Peter Blok in the cast, I was really looking forward to seeing this brilliant play again. I didn’t know the other two actors and I am sorry to say I must admit that because of their inexperienced acting the evening was rather a disappointment for me and Peter Blok alone couldn’t make it a success.
Eline ten Camp as Cate did however manage to bring out the character of a not so smart girl with a ‘survival’ wisdom that life had brought her. Unfortunately throughout the play I heard her ‘say the lines’.
My major disappointment was the second half of the play when the soldier entered. I know, violence can be made even more threatening when it is expressed in a soft, quiet and cool manner. But Benja Bruijning cited the lines in a neat way without any variation or emotion. Besides I wondered if he couldn’t have given more effect to the scenery; I could see how ingenious the scenery could have worked if he hadn’t put everything so neatly aside.
Mainly because of the two young actors who sited their lines I remained an onlooker on the outside and I was unmoved by such a moving play.