The ensemble cast likewise were challenged with playing multiple roles but managed to make each of their characters so different that some were hardly recognisable. Directors Colin Hovde and Nathaniel Mendez and the superb company of actors deftly blend humor and horror to produce an awesome piece that leaves everything on the stage—challenging the audience to confront the worst of human tendencies and maladies with tenderness. Celia Wren . He seems kind enough until he learns of Lisa’s quest. Alan Katz . It’s a refreshing look at how those with mental illness both suffer and cope. The Wonderful World of Dissocia is a play written and directed by Anthony Neilson about a young woman suffering from dissociative disorder. THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF DISSOCIA by Anthony Neilson is a play about Lisa. She may also recite poetry (her first love) when imbibing in alcohol. The Sydney Theatre Company mounted a production at The Wharf Theatre, Sydney, Australia, on 18 April 2009. Produced originally for the 2004 Edinburgh International Festival, The Wonderful World of Dissocia Lisa Jones is on a journey. Related. [3] It toured England in 2007, making its London debut at the Royal Court Theatre in March 2007. His other plays include Heredity, The Lying Kind, The Censor and Stitching. The Wonderful World of Dissocia was expectedly weird but interesting and fun. I cannot tell you how we defeated this monster but I am here to make sure this does not happen to the wonderful people of Dissocia. It's a colorful and exciting off-kilter trip in search of one lost hour that has tipped the balance of her life. As Neilson himself puts it, ‘If you like Alice in Wonderland but there’s not enough sex and violence in it, then Dissocia is the show for you.’ Staging madness: The Wonderful World of Dissocia. Suggestive details abound—from the white rabbit bow tie that Victor wears in the opening to the book (Gone Girl) Lisa is seen reading—that hint about Lisa’s state of mind in both the surreal Dissocia and reality. Kelly McCorkendale is a dog-lover, avid quilter, and occassional creative writer who loves the color orange and boycotts cable (except “Game of Thrones” because, well, what if winter is coming!?). Lisa Jones is on a journey. The idea was originally work-shopped with a group of students at LAMDA in 2002 but was later re-written and produced for the Glasgow's Tron Theatre at the Edinburgh International Festival in 2004. For 'The Wonderful World of Dissocia' is very much a play of two halves, the first act suggesting the world Lisa inhabits unmedicated, the second showing how her condition - which it is implied is a form of bi-polar (manic depressive) disorder - affects her and those around her. Lighting design: John Burkland . Since then, she’s found a niche working on health systems in Africa but has a long-list of life tasks yet to be fulfilled–such as perform blackmail, learn a trade, and become a competitive eater. Anthony Neilson’s fantastically inventive, wildly comical and very moving 5-star hit show comes to the Royal Court for three weeks only. Tuesday, 24 January 2017. In the first half Lisa experiences a journey in her world of mental illness, of "Dissocia", (Dissociation). How far would you go to rescue what you’ve lost—be it a watch, an hour, or sanity? Save. Not to wallow in despair for too long, Lisa is whisked away and dropped at a hot dog stand, but it’s hard to get away from the trauma inflicted by the goat, even as the cast chows down on franks. Dissocia’s whimsy melts away (but not its irony) as Jane (Lisa Hodsoll), a ‘victim surrogate,’ steps into Lisa’s place as the goat turns violent. Produced originally for the 2004 Edinburgh International Festival, The Wonderful World of Dissocia wowed critics and audiences alike. The Wonderful World of Dissocia: Character blogs Jigsaw Productions 11 Sep 2013 Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment. The play won Neilson the 2004-5 CATSaward for Best New Play and the production secured Best Director award for Neilsen, Best Actress award for Christine Entwisle (Lisa) an… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxqgbxuzTkU, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkNqvlC2JuA, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJstIEx6EnU, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgwrQMrknQQ&fbclid=IwAR0VLNdQm9GXjK3wKWwLny320SfqqXToZHLnPKxLPvX4xMWE0cwwexUqoEA, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXKUgjYh7lo. Set and costume design: Collin Ranney . A Powerful Piece of Drama Theatre of a more dramatic kind arrived at the Festival in the third week and well worth waiting for it was too. The Wonderful World of Dissocia by Anthony Neilson . Advertised as the fantastical story of a woman on a quest to retrieve a lost hour of her life (think an overtly sexual and violent Alice In Wonderland), The Wonderful World of Dissocia is replete with subtle British humor, absurdly dramatic situations, and, … Theatre Alliance’s production of The Wonderful World of Dissocia at the Anacostia Playhouse is a delightful exercise in misdirection. Her performance is only topped by Adi Stein’s shockingly, casually cruel goat—he made my skin crawl (and I think that’s what he intended). Lisa, emotionally shaken, turns from the scene and is scooped into the arms of (ta-da!) However, something brutal and wicked lies just behind the surface of this happy place and once Lisa realises what’s happening, all hell breaks loose. Yvonne French . He prefers to call his work "experiential theatre", so that the audience "become, in some small way, participants rather than voyeurs." The inhabitants of the wonderful world she finds herself in - Dissocia - are a curious blend of the funny, the friendly and the brutal. They hit all the right notes while orchestrating a melody that toes the line between euphoria and sadness. Lighting Assistant: Will Wermerskirchen . The idea was originally workshopped with a group of students at LAMDA in 2002 but was later re-written and produced for the Glasgow's Tron Theatre at the Edinburgh International Festival in 2004. a Polar Bear (Ben Chang). Jennifer Minnich . But, most importantly, it’s brave. Anthony Neilson’s The Wonderful World of Dissocia fits the bill completely. Abi Tedder Anthony Neilson Ben Kavanagh Charlotte Read Clatterhouse Theatre George Fouracres Liane Grant The Red Hedgehog William Seaward. The pinnacle of her journey unfurls in a forest, where after dancing merrily, she happens upon a “scape” goat (Adi Stein). The Wonderful World of Dissocia. Produced by Theater Alliance . Cast. - The Wonderful World of Dissocia. "The Wonderful World of Dissocia is a remarkably clever work that crawls right into the mind of a young woman suffering from mental illness" First published: Metheun Drama 2007 First produced: Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh 2004. Sound design: Christopher Baine . This is a terrific play. “If you like Alice in Wonderland but there’s not enough sex and violence in it, then Dissocia is the show for you” ~ Anthony Neilson. BroadwayWorld Co-directors Hovde and Mendez have captured the beauty and heartbreak of Anthony Neilson’s comedy-drama. Dot from Wonderful World of Dissocia, The by Richard Nelson. For more information and tickets, see the Red Hedgehog Theatre website. Scenic Artist: Kelley Rowan . Lisa (Christine Entwisle), a young woman in a rather old-fashioned frock, is tuning the top E-string on a guitar. In the second half of the play we see Lisa in a hospital ward being chemically treated for her "mental illness". The Wonderful World of Dissocia is a play written and directed by Anthony Neilson about a young woman suffering from dissociative disorder. By Rosie Millard Dissocia may be described as a Wonderful World, but from the start of Anthony Neilson’s highly theatrical analysis of mental illness, it is clear there is trouble ahead. The Latin American première was at Mediterránea Café Teatro, Buenos Aires, Argentina, on 20 March 2015. Expectations were therefore high this year when it was announced that Neilson would be writing the dramatic showpiece of the Edinburgh International Festival. The Wonderful World of Dissocia by Anthony Neilson. (l-r) David Gamble, Elliott Bales, KyoSin Kang, Carolyn Kashner and Karina Hilleard (Photo: C. Stanley Photography) Neilson’s The Wonderful World of Dissocia is whimsical, off-kilter, and disturbing in a fantastically honest way. As Neilson himself puts it, "if you like Alice in Wonderland but there's not enough sex and violence in it, then Dissocia is the show for you". The Wonderful World of Dissocia is a play written and directed by Anthony Neilson about a young woman suffering from dissociative disorder. The inhabitants of the wonderful world she finds herself in – Dissocia – are a curious blend of the funny, the friendly and the brutal. Wed 28 Mar 2007 . But, most importantly, it’s brave. Every child has held a stuffed animal in times of trouble and, somehow, it feels truthful that every adult wants the soft, plush arms of their once consoler, confidense and security wrapped about them even now. Directed by Colin Hovde and Nathaniel Mendez . Karina Hilleard performs the psychologically unstable Lisa as an everyday girl with only the usual problems at her feet. TumbleDry Theatre present The Wonderful World of Dissocia, by Anthony Neilson, at the Bread and Roses Theatre, a pub theatre in Clapham, south London, running from 21 July to 1 August 2015, with an official opening on 22 July.. Because Dissocia is all in Lisa’s head. Anna Jones Ben Kawalec Adam Bruce Audun Krüger Abrahamsen Carla-Jayne Cole Thomas Leadbeater Alice Tones Hannah Eggleton With little other than a big, open space, stellar actors, and dramatic lighting, they paint a dreamy, water-colored world that feels magical and haunting simultaneously. Playwright Anthony Neilson first worked at the Royal Court in 1993 on Penetrator. MDTheatreGuide Neilson’s The Wonderful World of Dissocia is whimsical, off-kilter, and disturbing in a fantastically honest way. Character Name: Dot Gender: Female Age Range: 20s - Late Dialects: Scots Ethnicities: Caucasian. [2] In December 2009 The List magazine included the work in its "Best of a Decade" compilation. Original Music and Sound: Matthew M. Nielson . View Full Character Profile (1 monologue) Play Name: Wonderful World of Dissocia, The … The Wonderful World of Dissocia. Log in, register or subscribe to save articles for … She encounters the type of uncommon, non-sensical characters only pure imagination can conjure–“Insecurity” guards (because, well, “if it’s secure, why would you have to guard it?”), neurosis in human form, and an Oath taking procession. It is about a woman suffering from dissociative disorder. The Wonderful World of Dissocia. In this way the play attempts to give the audience a notion of how the condition affects the sufferer and offers an alternative view of conventional treatments. The inhabitants of the wonderful world she finds herself in - Dissocia - are a curious blend of the funny, the friendly and the brutal. Stage manager: Tre Wheeler, assisted by Jeremy Hunter and Rachel Lau . Read More. [8][9], "Critics' Awards For Theatre in Scotland 2004-05 Winners", "Dissocia at Profiles: the most outrageous current show in Chicago", https://www.facebook.com/timeoutba/posts/901502096569363, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Wonderful_World_of_Dissocia&oldid=926272919, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 15 November 2019, at 07:55. Featuring Karina Hilleard (Lisa), Elliot Bales (Victor/Argument/Nurse), Carlos Saldana (Guard/Vince/Inhibitions), Luke Cieslewicz (Guard/Laughter/Faraday), Dave Gamble (Oathtaker/Ticket/Clerk), Carolyn Kashner (Britney/Nurse), Adi Stein (Goat/Biffer/Nurse), Lisa Hodsoll (Jane/Dot), Ben Chang (Oathtaker Attendant/Polar Bear/Violinist/Nurse), KyoSin Kang (Oathtaker Attendant/Nurse) . Neilson, who with Sarah Kane and Mark Ravenhill was among the “in yer face” generation of 1990s British playwrights, presents the State … The inhabitants of the wonderful world she finds herself in - Dissocia - are a curious blend of the funny, the friendly and the brutal. [4], The United States première was at the Profiles Theater, North Broadway Street, Chicago, on 26 March 2009. LISA P1-14 - NASTASSJA LISA P14-22 - ANGEL ADLEY LISA P22-37 - TAZMIN LISA P37-52 - OLUMIDE LISA ACT 2 - … Polish-born British actress Anna Krauze as Lisa (lead) in The Wonderful World of Dissocia David Gamble, Elliott Bales, KyoSin Kang, Karina Hilleard, Carolyn Kashner, Adi Stein, Ben Chang and Luke Ceislewicz in the Theater Alliance production of … And it’s ending—a hushed coda worthy of a Beethoven symphony—is soul affecting. Dissocia turns out to be a carnival-esque amalgam of Lewis Carroll, Roald Dahl, NF Simpson and the Goons, filled with comic "insecurity" guards, flying … She’s lost an hour—her rightful hour—and must retrieve it from the Wonderland-esque Dissocia, only reached from her flat-cum-lift. By Jason Blake and reviewer. April 20, 2009 — 11.58am. The Wonderful World Of Dissocia was originally a hit at the 2004 Edinburgh International Festival. [1] The play won Neilson the 2004-5 CATS award for Best New Play and the production secured Best Director award for Neilsen, Best Actress award for Christine Entwisle (Lisa) and Best Design for Miriam Buether. The idea was originally workshopped with a group of students at LAMDA in 2002 but was later re-written and produced for the Glasgow's Tron Theatre at the Edinburgh International Festival in 2004. Forced to pledge allegiance to Dissocia, which has lost its Queen in a siege by the “Black Dog King,” Lisa confronts her deepest fears and decides the fate of the land at the close of Act 1 in an epic battle Shakespeare Theatre would gladly steal. Washington Post The rest of the cast undertake multiple roles throughout Dissocia, with stand-out performances from Stuart Townley as the disheartened and devious goat and the incomprehensible Biffer, and Jenni Gill as the overbearing, crime-reducing council worker. The play explores the emotional and psychological impact of suffering from a dissociative disorder, through the eyes of Lisa; taking us first through her imaginary world and then to the reality of her situation in a … In his introduction to the Methuen edition of The Wonderful World of Dissocia, Anthony Neilson rejects the common association of his work with the In-Yer-Face school of theatre, saying that "it implies an attempt to repel an audience, which was never my aim." Reprint Policy: Our articles may not be reprinted in full but only as excerpts and those portions may only be used if a credit and link is provided to our website. Perfectly. She has an MA in International Education, believes rice is the elixir of life, and, in high school, won the best supporting actress honor for the state of Missouri. Down the rabbit-hole Lisa goes, venturing into an absurd reminiscent of the greats (Monty Python,The Princess Bride, and, of course, Alice in Wonderland). The Wonderful World of Dissocia Top / Details. The Wonderful World of Dissocia is playing at the Red Hedgehog Theatre until 28 July. DCMetroTheaterArts, Filed Under: Our Reviews, Theatre Tagged With: theater alliance. CAST LIST Characters. The Wonderful World of Dissocia 2004 at the Royal Lyceum Theatre Twisted 2003 at the Theatre Workshop at the Edinburgh Fringe The Lying Kind 2002 at the Royal Court Theatre; also adapted in France in 2013 by Jean-Luc Moreau as Les Menteurs, starring comedy duo Chevallier et Laspalès in the role of the policemen. Brave for treading in taboo territory—mental illness, rape—never fearing to use both humor and brutality to goad an audience to think and empathize. Act one is set in her dream like imaginative life with many interesting and menacing characters. The wonderful world she travels to, Dissocia, is a colourful and off- kilter place full of funny and strange characters. After college, she realized poets weren’t in demand, so she shipped off to Madagascar with Peace Corps. By Anthony Neilson. For anyone who’s ever escaped to a place present only in their head, The Wonderful World of Dissocia speaks volumes about the fragility of identity, trauma, and mental illness. 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