States of Shock

by Sam Shepard

States of Shock had 4 performances over 19 years ago (between the 2nd of March 2005 and the 28th of July 2005) at Halifax and Cecil Hepworth Playhouse

A wild, surreal and scathing anti-war play whose characters embody the conflict and violent contradictions of America today.

In States of Shock Shepard puts America on stage not just as a geographical location but as a state of mind.

The deceptive calm of a family restaurant filled with two disgruntled customers and an inept waitress is disrupted by sounds of war and destruction. Thunderous drumming and flashing lights punctuate the action of the play, images of war, death and destruction are projected onto the back wall; all of which combine to give us a sense of hoplessness that we can never escape perpetual war fever and the destructive instinct.