''Solaris'' is a 2019

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel uni ...

play Play most commonly refers to: * Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment * Play (theatre), a work of drama Play may refer also to: Computers and technology * Google Play, a digital content service * Play Framework, a Java framework * P ...

based on the 1961 novel of the same name by

Stanisław Lem Stanisław Herman Lem (; 12 September 1921 – 27 March 2006) was a Polish writer of science fiction and essays on various subjects, including philosophy, futurology, and literary criticism. Many of his science fiction stories are of satirical ...

, adapted for the stage by David Greig. Its notable feature is different gender of the protagonist, as well as gender-balanced spaceship crew, combating the science fiction male-dominated cliche.

Production history

''Solaris'' has been adapted for the stage by Scottish playwright David Greig, based on the 1961 novel of the same name by

. The play is directed by Matthew Lutton, with lighting design by Paul Jackson. For the production the gender of Dr Kris Kelvin was changed from male to female, with Greig stating that he was ''modernising the characters'' and that they ''could be any gender or background.'' On 3 September 2018, it was announced the play would receive its world premiere the following year and would begin previews at the

Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne Malthouse Theatre is the resident theatre company of The Malthouse building in Southbank, part of the Melbourne Arts Precinct. In the 1980s it was known as the Playbox Theatre Company and was housed in the Playbox Theatre in Melbourne's CBD. A ...

on 28 June 2019, with an official opening night on 3 July. Following the run at the Malthouse Theatre (June 28-July 21, 2019), the play was transferred to the

Royal Lyceum Theatre The Royal Lyceum Theatre is a 658-seat theatre in the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, named after the Theatre Royal Lyceum and English Opera House, the residence at the time of legendary Shakespearean actor Henry Irving. It was built in 1883 by a ...

(September 12-October 5, 2019),

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...

with whom it is a co-production. On 1 September 2023, a Finnish language adaptation (by Aleksi Milonoff) of the play premiered in the Turku City Theatre.

References

{{Lem 2019 plays Plays based on novels Science fiction theatre Adaptations of works by Stanisław Lem

Production history

See also

References