I Am the Wind, Young Vic

Norwegian Jon Fosse’s play fabulously directed by theatre legend Patrice Chéreau

by Aleks SierzTuesday, 10 May 2011

Two men in a boat: Tom Brooke and Jack Laskey in Jon Fosse’s ‘I Am the Wind’Simon Annand

Today’s Britons are a minor miracle of globalised taste. Typically, we are amazingly eclectic: we eat curry and sushi, read Swedish novels or South American magic realists, dress like Italians, drive German cars, listen to world music. Our houses are full of Scandinavian design. Our favourite films are as likely to be made in China or Afghanistan as in Hollywood. So, watching the British premiere of a new play by Norwegian Jon Fosse directed by French theatre legend Patrice Chéreau, one is compelled to ask: why are we so suspicious of foreign drama?

Fosse’s subject is the human condition, and this sparsely written play pares down the question of existence to its bare essentials

Buy

I Am the Wind on Amazon

Explore topics

Share this article

The future of Arts Journalism

You can stop theartsdesk.com closing!

We urgently need financing to survive. Our fundraising drive has thus far raised £33,000 but we need to reach £100,000 or we will be forced to close. Please contribute here: https://gofund.me/c3f6033d

And if you can forward this information to anyone who might assist, we’d be grateful.

Subscribe to theartsdesk.com

Thank you for continuing to read our work on theartsdesk.com. For unlimited access to every article in its entirety, including our archive of more than 15,000 pieces, we're asking for £5 per month or £40 per year. We feel it's a very good deal, and hope you do too.

To take a subscription now simply click here.

And if you're looking for that extra gift for a friend or family member, why not treat them to a theartsdesk.com gift subscription?

more Theatre

Expendable, Royal Court review - intensely felt family drama New play about a paedophile ring foregrounds the voices of British-Pakistani women

The Purists, Kiln Theatre review - warm, witty, thoughtful and un-woke Dan McCabe's play about ageing hiphop stars makes a winning European debut

The Dead, ANU, Landmark Productions, MoLI Dublin review - vital life, love and death in perfect equilibrium Joyce’s great short story fully realised for ‘invited guests’ by a perfect ensemble

All's Well That Ends Well, Sam Wanamaker Playhouse review - Shakespeare at his least likeable New production lands on shaky ground in 2024

Wicked review - overly busy if beautifully sung cliffhanger Musical theatre behemoth becomes an outsized film - and this is just part one

King James, Hampstead Theatre review - UK premiere drains a three-pointer LeBron James comes and goes, and comes back again to the Cavs

A Christmas Carol, Old Vic review - tidings of discomfort and noise This venue’s annual festive classic is joyous, but its writing is frankly patronising

[title of show], Southwark Playhouse review - two guys and two girls write about writing, delightfully Revival of New York show lifts the spirits

ARK: United States V by Laurie Anderson, Aviva Studios, Manchester review - a vessel for the thoughts and imaginings of a lifetime Despite anticipating disaster, this mesmerising voyage is full of hope

Wolves on Road, Bush Theatre review - exciting dialogue, but flawed plotting New play about young black men and cryptocurrency is sadly predictable

Burnt Up Love, Finborough Theatre review - scorching new play Super writing and acting jolts us out of complacency

L’Addition, BAC review - top billing for physical comedy duo The latest in Forced Entertainment’s 40 years of experiment is a thought-tickling farce

Follow @theartsdesk