The production premiered at the Nottingham Playhouse on Friday 13 September 2013 in a co-production with the Almeida Theatre and Headlong. It was created and directed by Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan, designed by Chloe Lamford, lighting was designed by Natasha Chivers, sound by Tom Gibbons, and video by Tim Reid. Following a UK tour, the production transferred to the Almeida Theatre in Islington from 8 February to 29 March 2014 where it later transferred into London's West End to the Playhouse Theatre from 28 April to 23 August 2014 where it was co-produced by Sonia Friedman Productions. The production was nominated for Best New Play at the 2014 Laurence Olivier Awards but lost to Chimerica, another Almeida Theatre production. This was followed by another UK tour. In 2015 the production returned to the Playhouse Theatre in the West End from 12 June to 5 September. Following the 2015 West End run, the production toured to Nottingham and Bath before travelling to Melbourne in Australia and Santa Monica, Boston and Washington, D.C. in the United States. In 2016 the production returned for a third time to the Playhouse Theatre in the West End from 14 June to 29 October. In 2017, Icke and Macmillan released a US edition of the play, and directed a new American cast for the play's opening on Broadway. The Broadway production opened at the Hudson Theatre on June 22 for a limited run until October 8, starring Tom Sturridge, Olivia Wilde and Reed Birney. Due to audience reactions to the shocking content, security guards were placed within the Hudson Theatre. Before opening night of the show, those under the age of 13 were barred from attending, after actors had spotted a small child in the audience. In 2017, a version of the production played on an Australian tour, playing in Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra and Perth, from May 13 through August 13.
Extreme content
The play includes extreme torture scenes. It also includes non-linear staging, strobe lights, sudden blackouts and jackhammer sounds.
Audience reactions
Due to the shocking nature of the play, some audience members reacted in various ways, including leaving the show, fainting, screaming at cast members, and throwing up. Two audience members had police called on them after getting into a fight after the show. Among these audience members, actor Jennifer Lawrence was in attendance at a show before leaving and throwing up.
