The Flea Theater today announced a second extension of the New York Premiere of THESE SEVEN SICKNESSES, a 5-hour marathon of all seven of Sophocles' plays re-envisioned by playwright Sean Graney, directed by Ed Sylvanus Iskandar, and starring The Bats. Originally scheduled to close February 12, performances have been extended through March 4. Tribeca dining destination Macao Trading Co. provides a complimentary Asian fusion feast at all performances, with dessert by Billy's Bakery.
In THESE SEVEN SICKNESSES, Sophocles' seven surviving plays-Oedipus, In Trachis, In Colonus, Philoktetes, Ajax, Elektra & Antigone-combine to create a stunning portrait of the human condition, where the intermingling of chance & fate yields disquieting results. A witty & relevant interpretation of the classics, THESE SEVEN SICKNESSES is an epic examination of the past & a window on the present.Graney became interested in The Common themes inherent in the Sophocles cannon after adapting Ajax in 2001 for his Chicago-based company, The Hypocrites. Following workshops with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival's BLACK SWAN Lab and a developmental lab with Exit, Pursued by a Bear in New York City (dir. Ed Sylvanus Iskandar), Graney decided the plays could and should be performed as a marathon event. THESE SEVEN SICKNESSES finally premiered to critical acclaim this past September in Chicago.Videos