John Paul Sartre’s Play No Exit is currently playing in New York City. It’s at the Turtle’s Shell Theater at Time Square Arts Center on 43rd Street. Sartre was one of the most famous existentialist writers and also one of the most philosophically influential. No Exit is one of his most famous existential plays and presents four characters in a closed room. The play begins as the Valet leads a new person, Joseph Garcin, into the room. While the characters are unsure of their location the audience is soon led to believe or discover that they are in hell. The characters are all trapped in this room with only one door. Throughout the course of the play the characters begin to dissect each other and break each other down. No Exit has been referred to as the manifestation of Sartre’s famous idea that hell is other people.
Sartre was born in Paris France in June of 1905. His seminal works explore the concept of identity and individualization. Much of his early work focused on the conflict between spiritual conformity and finding an authentic manner of being. The Transcendence of Ego is the work that provides the basis of his existential thought and is a starting point for many readers. Being and Nothingness is another major philosophical work. In addition to writing about the philosophy of existentialism Sartre was a playwright, novelist and screenwriter.
Turtle’s Shell Theatre has been operating since 2003 and is devoted to producing and developing new theatre and new perspectives on established plays. Their focus is on presenting contemporary social and cultural ethics through the theatre. They perform at the Time’s Square Arts Center and tickets are $20. This easily accessed and visible establishment has parking available next door to it and features three bars. It is one of the landmark performance venues in the Broadway theatre district area. Many of the tourists who visit the city and stay in one of the New York boutique hotels plan to include at least one theatre production in their agenda.