Posted on May 22, 1998

“The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat As Performed
by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade”
by Peter Weiss runs through May 31 in Yulman Theater.

It is directed by Prof. William Finlay.

The play is based on two historical truths: the infamous Marquis de Sade
was confined to the lunatic asylum of Charenton; and the revolutionary Jean-Paul Marat was
stabbed to death in a bathtub by Charlotte Corday at the height of terror in the French
Revolution. But the play-within-a play is not historical drama. Rather, it is concerned
with the problem of revolution. Among the questions it raises, Are the same things true
for the masses and for their leaders? And where, in modern times, lie the borderlines of
sanity?

The play runs through May 23, and May 27 through May 31. Performances
are at 8 p.m. Admission is $7, $5 for students and seniors. For more information, call
ext. 6545.