One of Neilson's earliest plays, Normal tells the story of the "Düsseldorf Ripper", Peter Kurten, who was convicted of nine murders but was suspected of 59 more. Neilson's multi-layered play looks at Kurten's life through discussions between him and his defence lawyer with whom he plays mind games, shattering the young man's complacency.
Beneath the surface of these mind games is an examination of what makes a psychopathic killer and, deeper still, an exploration of what it means to be "normal", particularly in the context of the dying days of the Weimar Republic and the growth of the Nazi party. Typically of Neilson, it is a deeply disturbing play, forcing us not only to think but to recognise the demons within us all.
This production is powerfully performed, with the actor playing Kurten (no programme was supplied, so no name is available) sending a genuine shiver down the spine as with apparent reasonableness he delights in manipulating the young lawyer. It's a play and a production which mnakes you think - and worry.