I'd read the Sarah Kane comparisons before reading this play so had a vague idea of what to expect. I think Green has a more distinct style than Kane, and her command of language is particularly evident in the scenes with the couple arguing over who gets the prescription they both desperately need. However, when it comes to the aims of both plays - to demonstrate the universality of cruelty & tragedy - I think Kane was much more successful with Blasted than Green is here. I would have like to have seen Green tackle the cultural background behind the practice of stoning executions, it would have given those particular scenes the punch they needed. As it stands, Green's choice to use an all white cast and set the play wherever it is being performed opens up the audience to speculate over how they would cope if such conditions were to occur in the developed world, much in the same way Kane tackled the thin walls between the developed and developing world in relation to war. I understand that it's incredibly unfair to compare the two playwrights but the relevancies here felt too obvious not to discuss. It's not an easy play to read because of the way in which the dialogue is written but it's a strong continuation of themes so common in the theatre of 90s UK(Apologies for the pretention - it's for my dissertation.)
