Ravenhill is best known for his play Shopping and Fucking, which opened at the Royal Court Theatre Upstairs in 1996. He also teamed with Bette Bourne to bring their acclaimed evening, A Life in Three Acts, to St. Ann's Warehouse in 2010.
One Year Lease Theater Company presents the run through May 26 at 9th Space. It will be directed by Ianthe Demos. The 60-minute drama was first commissioned by Scott Graham and Steven Hoggett (Once, Peter and the Starcather, American Idiot, Black Watch).
The cast includes Estelle Bajou, Christopher Baker ("Sanctum"), Christina Bennett Lind ("All My Children"), Nick Flint and Richard Saudek.
Pool (no water) has choreography by Natalie Lomont, music by Estelle Bajou, movement by Christopher Baker, set design by James Hunting, lighting design by Mike Riggs, costume design by Kay Lee and multi-media design by Scott J. Fetterman.
Here's how the work is billed: "A famous artist invites old friends to her luxurious new home for a long awaited reunion. But the celebration comes to an abrupt end when the host suffers a horrific accident. An almost unthinkable plan starts to take shape: could her suffering be the group’s next work of art? This piece by Mark Ravenhill is an unflinching look at the vulnerability of friendship, the power of resentment, and a deep-seated yearning to create something truly memorable." Ravenhill also adapted Terry Pratchett's Nation, which played the National's Olivier Theatre. He made his U.S. debut with Shopping and Fucking and has also penned the plays Faust is Dead, Handbag, Some Explicit Polaroids, Mother Clap’s Molly House (National Theatre/West End), Totally Over You (National Theatre), Product (Royal Court Theatre), The Cut (Donmar), Citizenship (National Theatre), Pool (No Water) (Lyric Hammersmith) and Dick Whittington & His Cat (Barbican Theatre).
For tickets, priced $25, phone (212) 352-3101 or visit 9thspace.org. 9th Space is located at 150 First Avenue, at 9th Street.