Terry Johnson’s Hysteria : Rollicking, Poignant, Yet Schizophrenic From the Times 3.5/5 At the Hampstead, Terry Johnson’s tightly scripted Hysteria , essentially a farce playing on the thin, blurry lines of early 20 th -century psychology, surrealism, and sexuality offers a potpourri of theatrical moments. At the outset, Paul Pyant’s lighting warmly suffuses Sigmund Freud’s lush, jewel-toned 1938 Hampstead study, designed by Lez Brotherston. In tandem with the sound for the production, which combines Gareth Owen’s effects and composer Colin Towns’ original music, the detailed richness of the setting impresses immediately. As the psychological action progresses, transitions further reveal the dramatic genius of this team. Terry Johnson’s writing incorporates historical detail and attention to the real-life personalities and psyches of both Sigmund Freud and Salvador Dalí. Peppered with hysterical physical comedy and clever jokes revolving around Freud’s ...
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