# Philip Venables on Turning Sarah Kane’s 4.48 Psychosis into a Shocking Opera

Composer Philip Venables discusses adapting Sarah Kane’s final play, 4.48 Psychosis, into an opera he describes as a fever dream. The work transforms Kane’s experimental text about mental illness into a staged musical experience. It matters as a notable contemporary opera adaptation of a major modern play.

**Importance:** 2/5

## Sources

### Entertainment
- [The Guardian Culture](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/oct/14/composer-philip-venables-448-psychosis-royal-opera-house-sarah-kane) — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 05:00:47 GMT
- [The Guardian Culture](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/oct/18/4-48-psychosis-review-linbury-theatre-london-sarah-kane-royal-opera) — Sun, 18 Oct 2026 15:03:23 GMT