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4:48 Psychosis

Bafta-winner amazes at the Young Vic

Experiencing the genuine talent of a BAFTA award-winning actress in the flesh isn’t exactly an everyday occurrence. But thanks to the purveyors of excellence at Waterloo’s Young Vic Theatre, this unique privilege is available nightly, until August 8.

4:48 Psychosis is the final work by late British playwright Sarah Kane. In this Christian Benedetti directed adaptation, the play’s central themes of depression and suicide are amplified to the extreme.

Naturally it’s a heavier experience than, say, busting some moves at the local disco – but if a night away from the glitter ball and chain is what you’re after, give this a try. There’s nothing as different - or as disorientating - as this.

It’s fascinating to observe as Romanian actress Anamaria Marcinca, who won her BAFTA in 2005 following her turn in Channel 4 drama Sex Traffic, as she displays an eerie sense of timing and a painstaking knowledge of the play’s dialogue.

She creates a dramatic, thrilling inner combat with nothing but words (and a range of contorted facial expressions), as she stands completely alone in the precisely the same spot for 75 minutes. Quite extraordinary.