Synopsis
In the Solitude of the Cotton Fields
Bernard-Marie Koltes trans Jeffrey Wainwright
Published by Methuen
Two men pass on the street. "Tell me what you want and I'll get you it," says one
"Tell me what you've got and I'll tell you what I want," replies the other
What follows is a thrilling cat-and-mouse game of desire and rejection, power and humiliation as the two men negotiate a deal that will never be struck
Koltès's mesmerising play for two actors premiered in France in 1987 and was immediately hailed as a contemporary masterpiece, playing successfully throughout Europe
Koltès's plays have been phenomenally successful, not just in Europe but worldwide. They present a vision of the harsh realities of late twentieth -century life, influenced by Genet and Fugard, combined with a formal approach to dramatic dialogue in the French classical tradition
Koltès is "a classic of our time, who, since 1990, is the French author most performed abroad" ~ Le Monde