The Dance of Death at Steppenwolf Theatre
Strindberg's 1900 masterwork centers on Alice and Edgar, a married couple marking their 25th wedding anniversary in the confines of a high stone tower at an isolated naval fortress. Their marriage, built on decades of resentment and psychological warfare, teeters on the edge when an unexpected visitor disrupts their carefully maintained dysfunction. McPherson's adaptation transforms Strindberg's examination of marital discord into what promises to be a darkly compelling theatrical experience.The production marks a homecoming of sorts, featuring an all-ensemble cast that spans three generations of Steppenwolf artists. Leading the cast is Jeff Perry, who co-founded the company five decades ago and returns to the stage at 1650 N. Halsted St. following acclaimed performances in "No Man's Land" and "August: Osage County." Joining Perry are ensemble members Cliff Chamberlain, known for his work in "You Will Get Sick" and "The Minutes," and Kathryn Erbe, making her first Steppenwolf appearance in nearly thirty years after memorable turns in "The Grapes of Wrath" and "A Streetcar Named Desire."
Steppenwolf Artistic Directors Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis comment, "When we set out to program the 50th Anniversary Season, our priority was to welcome a large host of ensemble members from across Steppenwolf's storied history back home. Nowhere is this clearer than in The Dance of Death, which has an all ensemble cast and an ensemble director at the helm. With Jeff, Katie and Cliff – representing three generations of ensemble members – in one room, we know we're in store for a quintessentially Steppenwolf night of combustible and provoking theater."
The production reunites Perry (playing the Captain), Erbe (as Alice), and Chamberlain (taking on the role of Kurt) under Peyankov's direction. The Downstairs Theater setting will provide the intimate atmosphere necessary for Strindberg's claustrophobic drama to unfold.
Swedish playwright August Strindberg wrote "The Dance of Death" during one of his most prolific creative periods, following his recovery from the psychological crisis he chronicled in his novel "Inferno." Between 1898 and 1909, Strindberg penned 36 plays, including "A Dream Play" and "The Ghost Sonata," cementing his reputation as a pioneer of both naturalism and expressionism in modern theater.
Conor McPherson, the Dublin-born playwright whose adaptation brings Strindberg's work to contemporary audiences, has earned international acclaim for his own theatrical works including "The Weir" and "The Seafarer." His ability to navigate the darker corners of human relationships makes him an ideal interpreter of Strindberg's brutal honesty about marriage and desire.
Tickets for "The Dance of Death" are available now. With a limited nine-week run and a cast this distinguished, this production promises to be one of the highlights of Steppenwolf's anniversary season.