By: Irene Blainey , a student in Yana  Meerzon’s theatre criticism class.

Imagine a world so ashamed of imperfection, craving the pristine, yet ugly in nature. This is the captivating and eye-opening world presented in Marius von Mayenburg’s play The Ugly One. However, the plays transfer to the stage at The Gladstone was anything but captivating. The production, directed by Peter Haworth, found itself incoherent, theatrically drained and in need of plastic surgery.The play, which was translated from German, follows Lette (David Whiteley), a businessman who is suddenly awoken to the fact that he is ugly. With the loss of new job opportunities and a confrontation with his wife (Julie Le Gal), he seeks a solution to his appearance.   …

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Marius von Mayenburg,  author of The Ugly One, representing the new young German Theatre, is performed here in the English translation by Maya Zade , the version used for the creation at the Royal Court Theatre in London in 2008 .  Mayenburg, as a translator himself, interested in the works of the  late Sarah Kane,  is in close contact with the similar world of the younger generation of British playwrights (Sarah Kane, Caryl Churchill, Martin Crimp, Mark Ravenhill) who all have had a strong influence on the Berliner Schaubühne thanks to artistic director Thomas Ostermeir’s interest in their work.  This play hides a deeper reflection on social interaction without delving into psychological  or  psychoanalytical study of character and that is no doubt the most difficult obstacle for a less experienced cast to overcome. . …

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