Cloud Nine on Page and Stage

A Case-Study of International Adaptability

Abstract

Caryl Churchill’s Cloud Nine (1979) is regarded as a contemporary classic of British theatre. The play’s formal innovation and revolutionary approach to gender and (post-)colonialism has been analysed thoroughly and often. However, several critics question Cloud Nine’s relevance and adaptability today. This case study aims to demonstrate how the European theatrical tradition mixed with original methods helped a Hungarian theatre group, K.V. Company adapt Cloud Nine to a contemporary European stage. The analysed performance is a testimony to Cloud Nine’s lasting relevance and international adaptability.