Judgment Day

by Christopher Shinn (Adapter), Ödön von Horváth

You lie there in the dark and the thoughts won't stop – you think of everything you could have done better…

A meticulous and respected stationmaster struggles to overcome his guilt when he finds himself suddenly culpable for a violent train crash that results in eighteen deaths. As the community come together to grieve, they succumb to a mob mentality that threatens to ostracize anyone who challenges the collective definition of morality and truth.

An intriguing hybrid of theatrical genres, Ödön von Horváth's 1937 play is part moral fable, part socio-political commentary and part noir-ish thriller.

Adapted by Obie Award-winner and Pulitzer Prize nominee Christopher Shinn, this thrilling new take on a classic play asks contemporary questions that resonate in our current political climate.

This edition was published to coincide with the world premiere at New York's Park Armory in December 2019.

64 pages, Paperback

Published December 26, 2019

About the author

Christopher Shinn is the author of Dying City (Pulitzer Prize finalist), Where Do We Live (Obie in Playwriting), Now or Later (Evening Standard Theater Award for Best Play shortlist), and Four. Most recently, his play Against premiered at the Almeida Theatre and his adaptation of Ödön von Horváth's Judgment Day premiered at Park Avenue Armory. Of his thirteen original plays, over half had their world premiere in England, with five at the Royal Court. Fellowships include the Guggenheim (2005), the Radcliffe (2019), and the Cullman (2020). His plays are published by Methuen and he teaches playwriting at the New School.