Anatomy of a Suicide

Anatomy of a Suicide
Written by	Alice Birch
Date premiered	June 3, 2017 (2017-06-03)
Place premiered	Royal Court Theatre

Anatomy of a Suicide is a 2017 play by Alice Birch. It won the 2018 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize.

Synopsis

The play follows three women, Carol, Anna and Bonnie, who, through the course of the play, are revealed to be mother, daughter, and granddaughter. The three women's stories play out simultaneously, while each exists in her own timeline. At the start of the play, Carol has just been released from the hospital after trying to commit suicide, Anna is a heroin addict, and Bonnie is a doctor. Carol and Anna are treated with electroconvulsive therapy. Carol commits suicide offstage. Anna electrocutes herself in the bath, while her infant daughter, Bonnie, sleeps in the next room. At the end of the play, Bonnie sells the family home.[1][2]

Production history

Anatomy of a Suicide premiered in 2017 at the Royal Court Theatre in London under the direction of Katie Mitchell and designed by Chloe Lamford.[3] It starred Kate O’Flynn (Anna), Hattie Morahan (Carol), and Adelle Leonce (Bonnie).[4] The premiere ran from June 3 to July 8.[5]

In 2019, a German production, Anatomie eines Suizids, translated by Corinna Brocher, played at the Deutsches Schauspielhaus in Hamburg.[6] Also in 2019, the play had its Australian premiere at the Old Fitz.[7] Lileana Blain-Cruz directed Anatomy of a Suicide in its US-premiere in 2020 at the Atlantic Theater Company.[8] This production starred Carla Gugino (Carol), Celeste Arias (Anna), and granddaughter Gabby Beans (Bonnie).[9][10]

Awards and nominations

Birch won the 2018 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize for Anatomy of a Suicide.[11][12]

Analysis

Anatomy of a Suicide raises questions about the inheritance of suicide.[4]

References

1. Boles, William C. (2017-09-18). "Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare and Anatomy of a Suicide by Alice Birch: Performance Review". Miranda (15). doi:10.4000/miranda.11025. ISSN 2108-6559.
2. Sierz, Aleks (2017-06-20). "Review of "Anatomy of a Suicide", Royal Court Theatre". The Theatre Times. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
3. Billington, Michael (2017-06-12). "Anatomy of a Suicide review – a startling study of mothers and daughters". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
4. Trueman, Matt (2017-06-13). "London Theater Review: 'Anatomy of a Suicide'". Variety. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
5. Harpin, Anna (2020-04-02). "'You Were an O. Your Black O in the Middle of Your Face': Madness and Catastrophe in Katie Mitchell's Ophelias Zimmer and Anatomy of a Suicide". Contemporary Theatre Review. 30 (2): 193–210. doi:10.1080/10486801.2020.1732954. ISSN 1048-6801.
6. Greenstreet, Hannah (2020-08-18). "Redux Review: Anatomy of a Suicide". Exeunt Magazine. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
7. Venkataraman, Divya (2019-06-17). "Anatomy of a Suicide review | Theatre in Sydney". Time Out Sydney. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
8. Scheck, Frank (2020-02-18). "'Anatomy of a Suicide': Theater Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
9. Soloski, Alexis (2020-02-18). "Review: In 'Anatomy of a Suicide,' Pain in Triplicate". The New York Times. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
10. Shaw, Helen (2020-02-24). "Horror Stories of Womanhood: Dracula, Frankenstein, and Anatomy of a Suicide". Vulture. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
11. Quinn, Annalisa (2018-03-12). "Alice Birch Wins 2018 Blackburn Prize for 'Anatomy of a Suicide'". The New York Times. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
12. Clement, Olivia (2018-03-12). "Alice Birch Named Winner of the 2018 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize for Anatomy of a Suicide". Playbill. Retrieved 2024-04-01.