Poster advertising Theatre de Complicite's production of The Visit by Friedrich Durrenmatt, adapted by Maurice Valency, Royal National Theatre, Lyttleton Theatre, 13 February 1991.

Poster featuring a colour photograph by Red Saunders of Kathryn Hunter as Clara Zachanassian, smoking a cigar, and who is wearing a white fur hat, white gloves and sunglasses, with to her right, Clive Mendus and Jasper Britton as the Blind Men, also wearing sunglasses. The National Theatre logo is in the top left hand corner, with below it, details of the production team, cast, and the logo of the Festival of Switzerland in Britain 1991, which sponsored the production. The name of the company and the title of the production are in the top right hand corner in black and maroon lettering.

Given by Theatre de Complicite

Poster produced to advertise The Visit, Royal National Theatre, Lyttleton Theatre, 13 February 1991, a Theatre de Complicite production based on the story by Friedrich Durrenmatt, adapted by Maurice Valency. Previews opened 7 Feb 1991 and between then and the final performance at the Lyttleton, 25 April 1991, the company gave 38 performances. Directed by Annabel Arden with Simon McBurney; designed by Rae Smith; lighting by Luke Sapsed; music by Jeremy Arden. The Company comprised Mick Barnfather, Lilo Baur, Jasper Britton, Celia Gore Booth, Richard Hope, Kathryn Hunter, Marcello Magni, Eric Mallett, Julianne Mason, Clive Mendus and Simon McBurney. From 20 May - 9 June 1991 the company took the production to Spoleto, USA, where they gave a further 19 performances. Poster designed by Michael Mayhew.

Historical significance: In The Visit, (Der Besuch der Alten Dame), Durrenmatt exploits the possibilities of the stage as an instrument, including the Surrealist juxtaposition of things in new, strange and striking combinations, the cliches of advertising, the tricks of burlesque and slapstick comedy.

Complicite's production of The Visit was due to have celebrated Durrenmatt's 70th birthday and they hoped to have played it for him as a tribute, but he died on 14 December 1990.

S.734-2000