Journey to the Center of Her Mind

4.48 Psychosis is a rare theatrical experience

By Mary Damiano

4.48 Psychosis, at Naked Stage through May 18, explores the psychology of suicide. Photo by Paul Tei

Sarah Kane was a British playwright whose brief career was filled with genius and controversy, and whose brief life was plagued by mental illness and suicidal depression.

When she hanged herself in 1999, she left behind a small body of work, including her last piece, 4.48 Psychosis, now a powerful production at Naked Stage in Miami Shores.

The title refers to the time of morning when most suicides occur in Great Britain. Studies indicate it is also the time of day when the mind is most lucid. It seems a contradiction, but perhaps not for someone so racked by mental anguish that suicide seems the only answer.

4.48 Psychosis is an abstract, impressionistic look at a young woman dealing with mental illness. She seeks help from doctors and hospitals. She speaks of her suicide matter-of-factly, although she states that she does not want to die. “Take an overdose, slit my wrists, then hang myself,” she says. “It couldn’t possibly be misconstrued as a cry for help.”

4.48 Psychosis has no traditional script, no characters and no stage directions. It’s stream-of-consciousness writing, less a play than an extended suicide note. It’s also a blank canvas, ready for a director to paint his artistic vision all over it. The troupe certainly enlisted the right guest director for the job, Mad Cat Theatre founder and Artistic Director Paul Tei, who lets his considerable imagination run wild.

A recorded curtain speech that mimics a theme park attraction warning kicks off the hypnotic collection of sounds and images. Marty Mets’ sound design of throbbing music, effects and voices offer the most telling insights into the characters’ minds. Antonio Amadeo’s surreal, topsy-turvy set and Sevim Abaza’s lighting design, easily among her best work, add to the cohesive acid trip-vision of the production.

Although 4.48 Psychosis has been performed elsewhere as a solo show, Naked Stage’s production employs three actresses. The patient is played by Katherine Amadeo, one of the founding members of Naked Stage; there’s also a doctor (Erin Joy Schmidt) and the patient’s lover (Kim Ehly). Unfortunately, Kane’s writing leaves no room for character development, even for Amadeo, who plays despondent desperation quite well. Her performance is raw, but the piece does not allow her to show any descent into depression, which is the biggest flaw of 4.48 Psychosis. All performances — all action for that matter — stay on the same plane for the entire 75 minutes.

But 4.48 Psychosis isn’t about that. This is a rare, in-your-face piece of theatre worth experiencing.

4.48 Psychosis runs through May 18 at Naked Stage at the Pelican Theatre on the campus of Barry University, 11300 N.E. Second Ave., Miami Shores. Showtimes are Thursday through Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. Tickets are $12-$25. Call 1-866-811-4111or visit www.nakedstage.org.