The original Royal Opera production of 4.48 Psychosis by Ted Huffman has been revived this month at the Linbury Theatre, the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. The production opened on 17th October 2026, featuring a brand new cast, conducted by Naomi Woo: Jacquelyn Stucker, Hannah Edmunds, Sophia Burgos, Veena Akama-Makia, Lauren Young and Marta Fontanals-Simmons.
I wrote a piece for The Guardian reminiscing about the creation of the opera, here:
Here is a selection of press reviews of the the revival:
Venables’ adaptation successfully leverages the unique capabilities of music, tapping into Kane’s non-linear prosody and use of verbal repetition. His dazzling score overlaps vocal lines, introducing a structural complexity that traditional theatre cannot easily replicate. — The Guardian
The suicidal final scene is a remarkable series of downward-pulling cadences that is as haunting, in a very contemporary way, as Dido’s lament in Purcell’s opera. […] This is an unremittingly terrifying show that leaves you uncertain as to whether applause is even appropriate. But it is also, one senses, unflinchingly truthful. — The Times
Huffman and Venables bend the very notion of what constitutes text. […Venables] casts the singers in heterophony that haunts, layering sing-song chant, speech, and wailing. The instrumentalists of CHROMA, conducted by Naomi Woo with utter precision, excel in timbral blur. — Opera Now
Riveting and unforgettable. […] Affecting and potent staging of the opera based on Sarah Kane’s harrowing drama. — The Stage
Devastating avant-garde anguish. — Evening Standard
The way that the dialogues between patient and doctor are punctuated is a true masterstroke from Venables. Kane tells us that “depression is anger” and he translates that straight into furious composition. […] The anguish is fleshed out in a way beyond theatre, beyond any written words. […] Venables’s ten-year-old opera remains a superbly polished mirror. — BroadwayWorld
Photo: Marc Brenner / Royal Ballet & Opera