Metamorphosis

‘As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a monstrous insect.’

The Metamorphosis is a new adaptation of Franz Kafka’s classic story of a man whose society causes him to feel so isolated and worthless that he physically transforms into a giant insect. Kafka’s Prague in 1915 was full of confusing bureaucracy, indecipherable rules and regulations and a host of reasons why Gregor should grow to consider himself utterly worthless. The busy, successful and popular inhabitants of this world serve only to show Gregor just how far removed he is from their status.

Today, our world is not so different. Our government and social structures have never been more complex, confusing, and… well, Kafkaesque. The world bustles along with little time or energy to notice those around us who may be struggling, and social media bombards us with images of perfect people with perfect lives, completely unattainable for most of us.

Gregor’s life is full of contradictions, confusion and reasons to feel inadequate. When he begins to suffer from an unusual health complaint which threatens to jeopardise his ability to function he finds that those around him are unable to offer any help or advice. Following his shocking metamorphosis he finally begins to realise what it means to be human. But is it too late? As his mind adapts to his new life Gregor grows ever more distant from the world, and his family begin to undergo their own transformations.

Franz Kafka’s story of a misfit trying to adapt to his busy world is as relevant now as it ever was. This new adaptation explores the many aspects of modern life which conspire to isolate us from each other, and what it is about being human which brings us closer together.