The Wonderful World of Dissocia

The cover of the original playtext uses an image from Lisa's "subconscious imagination"

The Wonderful World of Dissocia is a play written and directed by Anthony Neilson about a young woman suffering from dissociative disorder. The idea was originally workshopped with a group of students at LAMDA in 2002 but was later re-written and produced for the Glasgow's Tron Theatre at the Edinburgh International Festival in 2004.^[1] The play won Neilson the 2004-5 CATS award for Best New Play and the production secured Best Director award for Neilsen, Best Actress award for Christine Entwisle (Lisa) and Best Design for Miriam Buether.^[2] In December 2009 The List magazine included the work in its "Best of a Decade" compilation.^[3] It toured England in 2007, making its London debut at the Royal Court Theatre in March 2007.^[4]

The United States première was at the Profiles Theater, North Broadway Street, Chicago, on 26 March 2009. The Sydney Theatre Company mounted a production at The Wharf Theatre, Sydney, Australia, on 18 April 2009.^[5][6]

Theme

The play is in two contrasting acts, with the first a vivid and colourful recreation of Lisa's dream-like imaginary life and the second a realistic presentation of the hospital ward in which she is receiving treatment. In this way the play attempts to give the audience a notion of how the condition affects the sufferer.^[7]

References