Sarah Kane

Sarah Kane was born 3rd February 1971 and was an English playwright. Kane herself, as well as scholars of her work, such as Graham Saunders, identify some of her inspirations as expressionist theatre and Jacobean tragedy. Critics, including Aleks Sierz, have seen her work as part of what Sierz calls the In-Yer-Face style of theatre, a form of drama which broke away from the conventions of naturalist theatre. Kane's published work consists of five plays, one short film, Skin, and two newspaper articles for The Guardian.

Kane struggled with severe depression for years and was twice voluntarily admitted to the Maudsley Hospital in London. I think that the fact she sent herself to the mental instituation very interesting; it makes me respect her more. The fact she knew she was ill and wanted help. This also makes her death more of a tragedy; she tried to help herself yet still committed suicide. This also supports further how her work was written from her personal own experiences and emotions.  She wrote consistently, if slowly, throughout her entire adult life. For a year she was writer-in-residence for Paines Plough, a theatre company promoting new writing, where she actively encouraged other writers. Before that, she had worked briefly as literary associate for the Bush Theatre, London. Kane died in 1999, when, two days after taking an overdose of prescription drugs, she committed suicide by hanging herself by her shoelaces in a bathroom at London's King's College Hospital.