The Visit

by Friederick Duerrenmatt

The Visit had 4 performances about 27 years ago (between the 26th of November 1997 and the 29th of November 1997)

This fascinating folk play is in turn intriguing, poetic, funny, atmospheric and highly theatrical. It also makes for a thought provoking evening.

Duerrenmatt's macabre parable is his most grotesque and most extraordinary play - and his most famous, bringing him worldwide recognition. Duerrenmatt (a Swiss dramatist, director and novelist who died in 1996) was always fascinated by chance and this is is the central theme of most of his work - essentially a single attempt to explain why chance instead of justice had played such a great role in not only his life, but the development of the world at large.

The VISIT concerns Claire Zachanassian (the richest woman in the world) who returns to her little home town of Guellen to demand justice for a wrong done to her as a teenager by her lover, Alfred Schill. She offers one billion dollars to the poverty-stricken town if they will murder Alfred. Will she be able to exact justice through her vast wealth ? Behind this simple tale are cast the shadows of revenge, greed, power, guilt and genuine human frailty.

The charismatic central role of Claire Zachanassian was recently played by Lauren Bacall. Cast in this RDG production is Frankie Godliman, the group's most experienced female actor with nearly 90 performances to her credit. She will be supported by a large cast of players representing the village characters and the millionairess's extraordinary entourage who accompany her on this bizarre VISIT.