Metatheatre and Love in Sarah Ruhl’s Stage Kiss

Abstract

Sarah Ruhl’s Stage Kiss (2011) uses theatre as a metaphor for the condition of the contemporary individual, who is perpetually and fruitlessly in pursuit of an authentic self. The main characters, referred to simply as She and He, are actors performing both in Stage Kiss and in two plays. This layering causes identities, roles, scripts, relationships, and love stories to constantly merge and overlap. The destabilization of identities leads to a relentless, humouroussearch forstability and love, whichRuhl critiques by emphasizing the artificiality of her play’s own construction. Themes such as identity, love, communication, and intimacy are central to the work, situating the audience in a self-aware, metatheatrical world that questions its own form. The characters’ deep uncertainties about their identities preclude resolution, rendering authentic love and genuine connections unattainable.

Keywords

• Metatheatre
• Sarah Ruhl
• Stage Kiss
• Contemporary Drama
• American Drama

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