Annie Baker's new play uses dark humour to discuss pain
Infinite Life has transferred with its entire American cast from the Linda Gross theater in New York to the Dorfman Theatre in London
By Amit RoyDec 09, 2023
IN INFINITE LIFE, a new play by Annie Baker, five American women find themselves reclining next to each other on chaise lounges at a fasting clinic two hours north of San Francisco. What they have in common is pain.
But how do you describe pain? Patients will often try hard when a doctor asks them: “On a scale of one to 10, how much pain are you in?”
Infinite Life, a co-production between the Atlantic Theater Company in the US and the National, has transferred with its entire American cast from the Linda Gross theater in New York to the Dorfman Theatre in London.
The five women thrown together are Sofi (Christina Kirk), 47, who comes from Los Angeles; Eileen (Marylouise Burke), who is in her 70s and from Wichita, Kansas; Elaine (Brenda Pressley), in her 60s and lives in Dublin, New Hampshire; Ginnie (Kristine Nielsen), in her 60s from Rio Vista, California; and Yvette (Mia Katigbak), who is in her 60s or 70s from Midland, Michigan.
In the mix is thrown a man, Nelson, in his 40s, from San Francisco.
Sofi’s account of what she is going through is the most searing: “Whenever I pee it’s like I’m peeing razors. And my bladder is covered in these ulcers and there’s always blood in my urine.”
Sometimes there are long, painful pauses between snatches of conversation.
Ginnie is knowledgeable about sphincters: “There’s your anal sphincter, but there’s also your cardiac sphincter and your pyloric sphincter. That’s why carbonation makes you feel good. It activates your pyloric sphincter.”
Pete Simpson as Nelson
She adds: “I have autoimmune thyroid stuff, but mostly I’m here for my vertigo.” I did wonder what the exchanges would be like if the American women had been replaced by five British Asian women. Perhaps the play could be transposed to Wembley.
Under the direction of James Macdonald, there is dark humour even in the discussion of pain.
When Sofi says, “There’s something wrong with my bladder,” it is the trigger for Yvette to launch a long monologue: “I had my bladder removed.”
She tells the story of her bladder: “…because I think when they did the C-section they nicked my bladder or something. Suddenly I’m peeing every 15, every 20 minutes. I remember trying to drive to the grocery store with my children strapped in the back seat – this is a 10-minute drive – and having to pull over by the side of the road and pee in the bushes.
“And then I wean my daughter and my hormones change again and all my lupus symptoms come back! So I have two little kids and joint pain and night sweats and a rash on my face the shape of a butterfly and a bladder the size of a pea and I’m starting to realize that my husband is useless to me.
“So they do this thing called – what was it called – did they do this to you? They fill your bladder up with lidocaine and they distend it ...”
She continues the tale later: “OK. Long story short. Long story very short. They take my bladder out and I get a bodywide fungal infection from all the antibiotics I’ve been on and the fungus gets into my lungs and it’s resistant to all the normal antifungals, it’s resistant to clotrimazole and econazole and fluconazole and ketoconazole and itraconazole and voriconazole and they have to give me a life-threatening last resort antifungal that’s not a zole and I’m in the hospital hooked up to an IV drip for two weeks. And then things get better and I can finally go back to work, but then one day I’m sitting at my desk, I’m looking at the computer, and this grey shade goes down over my left eye. I mean I watch it go down. Like the end of a movie or something. And, what do you know, I’ve gone blind in my left eye. No explanation. And then at some point I realized my lunulae had disappeared. Do you know what those are?”
Christina Kirk (Sofi) in the play
When Sofi shakes her head, Yvette explains: “The half moons at the bottom of your fingernails. My lunulae had disappeared. And then my arthritis came back. And the brain fog. And the difficulty swallowing. And the scleroderma. And the lichenplanus. And the spondylosis. And the labyrinthitis. And the polymyositis. And the pericarditis. Then I got an MRI when I turned 55 and I’ll never forget the doctor walking in and saying, ‘well, Yvette, it turns out in addition to all your other problems, you have three herniated discs, multiple spurs, and osteoporosis.’ So I had to accept it. I had to accept being in pain all the time. And then two years later I got diagnosed with breast cancer. And this is when the miracle happens. They want me to do chemo, but then I hear about this water-fasting clinic in California!”
Sofi is “head of the protein strategy team at a meal kit delivery service”, while Nelson is in “fintech”. She is turned on when she asks to see pictures of Nelson’s colon on his phone and he agrees: “It’s called primary signet-ring cell carcinoma with peritoneal dissemination. I’ve been clear for two years, but I just went in three weeks ago and it’s back. They want to do radiation again.”
Nelson, who has an open marriage, suggests he gives his wife a ring first – “yes that’s what we do” – before soliciting Sofi: “Why don’t I call my wife and give her a heads-up, then we can go to my room for a little while and see what happens.”
Sofi says she is sorely tempted, but has a flight to catch.
This sexually explicit play isn’t exactly Christmas fare with the children, but it has its moments.
Infinite Life is at the Dorfman Theatre at the National until January 13, 2024.
INDIAN cricket has signed Apollo Tyres as its new lead sponsor after fantasy sports platform Dream11 ended its contract following a government ban on online gambling.
The men's team travelled to the United Arab Emirates for the ongoing Asia Cup without a sponsor on their shirts after Dream11 exited the deal, which was worth about $44 million and was set to run until 2026.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said the new contract with Apollo Tyres runs until March 2028. While the value was not disclosed, the board said it is higher than the previous deal.
"The new partnership, secured after a rigorous bidding process, represents a substantial increase in sponsorship value, signifying the immense and growing commercial appeal of Indian cricket," the BCCI said in a statement.
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia said, "We are excited about this being Apollo's first major sponsorship in India cricket, which speaks volumes about the sport's unparalleled reach and influence. This is more than a commercial agreement; it's a partnership between two institutions that have earned the trust and respect of millions."
Apollo Tyres Vice-Chairman and Managing Director Neeraj Kanwar said, "Cricket's unmatched popularity in India and worldwide makes it an honour for us to become the national team lead sponsor of Team India."
The Apollo Tyres logo will appear on the jerseys of the Indian men's and women's teams across all formats.
Last month, the Indian parliament passed a law banning online gambling. The government said gambling platforms had caused financial distress, addiction and even suicide, and were linked to fraud, money laundering and terrorism financing. Fantasy sports apps such as Dream11 continue to operate, though for prizes and not cash.
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Sydney Sweeney reportedly offered £45m for a leading role in a major Bollywood film
The package includes £35m in fees and £10M in sponsorship deals
Filming is tentatively planned for early 2026 across New York, Paris, London, and Dubai
The project could make Sweeney one of the highest-paid Hollywood stars to join Indian cinema
A record-breaking offer
Hollywood actor Sydney Sweeney has reportedly been approached with a staggering £45M deal to star in one of the most expensive Bollywood films ever produced.
The 28-year-old Euphoria and The White Lotus star is said to have been offered £35m in fees plus an additional £10m through sponsorship agreements.
Details of the proposed project
The untitled film would cast Sweeney as a young American celebrity who falls in love with an Indian star. Filming is expected to begin early next year, with international locations including New York, Paris, London, and Dubai.
Industry insiders describe the project as an effort to bring Indian cinema to an even larger global audience, with Sweeney’s involvement seen as a move to elevate its international appeal.
Industry perspective
A source close to the negotiations said: “Sydney was shocked by the offer at first — £45m is an incredible sum. But the project is intriguing, and it could elevate her global profile even further. Nothing has been decided yet, but it’s a huge opportunity and she is weighing her options carefully.”
A step into Bollywood
If she accepts, Sweeney would join other international stars who have crossed into Bollywood, including Priyanka Chopra and Shilpa Shetty. The Indian film industry has increasingly sought crossover projects to expand its global reach.
Recent career highlights
Sweeney, who rose to fame on HBO’s Euphoria and The White Lotus, has recently been building her film career. Her latest project, Christy, sees her portraying US boxing champion Christy Martin, the first female boxer to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
Speaking about the physically demanding role, Sweeney said: “Every single fight you see, we’re actually punching each other. I always believed that you wouldn’t be able to make it feel real if it’s a stunt double or if it’s faking the hits.” Christy is set for release on November 7.
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Nvidia boss Jensen Huang has said he is “disappointed” following reports
China’s Cyberspace Administration has reportedly ordered tech firms to stop using Nvidia’s AI chips
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says he is “disappointed” but will remain “patient”
Huang is visiting the UK alongside other tech leaders during Donald Trump’s state visit
Nvidia became the world’s first $4tn company earlier in 2025 amid the AI boom
Huang responds to reported China directive
Nvidia boss Jensen Huang has said he is “disappointed” following reports that China has told its leading technology firms to halt purchases of the company’s artificial intelligence chips.
Speaking to reporters in the UK, Huang added that he would remain “patient” in light of the reported order from China’s internet regulator, the Cyberspace Administration. “There are a lot of places we can’t go to, and that’s fine,” he said.
Background to chip restrictions
Nvidia is the world’s leading chipmaker, central to the global AI boom with its processors powering data centres worldwide. China, meanwhile, has been working to develop its own semiconductors as part of a broader AI strategy to reduce reliance on US technology.
The company had already faced restrictions in China. Its most advanced chips were previously banned from sale to the country before US President Donald Trump reversed the decision in July. As part of an unusual arrangement, Nvidia must pay 15% of its Chinese revenues to the US government.
Financial Times report
According to the Financial Times, China’s Cyberspace Administration recently told domestic technology firms — including major players such as DeepSeek, Tencent and Alibaba — to stop buying Nvidia’s specially designed China-market chips.
Shares in Nvidia were down more than 1% in pre-market trading following the news.
Support for US policy
Asked about the geopolitical tensions, Huang said he would support the US as it sought to resolve the issues and would convey the same message directly to President Trump if asked.
Huang is one of several technology leaders, including Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, attending Trump’s state visit to the UK. They are expected to join a state banquet on Wednesday evening.
UK investment and tech collaboration
Despite the reported setback in China, Nvidia has continued to expand its footprint elsewhere. The company recently announced it would supply chips to the Stargate UK data centre, a major project in north-east England involving OpenAI, Arm and NScale. The commitment forms part of a broader UK-US technology pact.
Valuation milestone
Nvidia became the first company in the world to surpass a $4tn (£2.9tn) market valuation earlier this year, underscoring its dominance in the AI sector even as geopolitical tensions shape its global reach.
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Tagenarine Chanderpaul. (Photo by PAT HOELSCHER/AFP via Getty Images)
BATSMEN Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Alick Athanaze were recalled to the West Indies ranks when they were named in the squad to tour India on Tuesday (16) while left-arm spinner Khary Pierre is included for the first time.
The two-Test series, with matches in Ahmedabad and Delhi, marks the West Indies' first tour to India since 2018 and forms part of the World Test Championship.
Neither Chanderpaul nor Athanaze were involved in the recent series against Australia but have been included to bolster the top-order batting.
"The return of Tagenarine Chanderpaul is to help transform our fortunes at the top of the order given the recent struggles, with Alick Athanaze being added for his strengths and qualities against spin bowling," said head coach Daren Sammy.
Pierre, meanwhile, has been included as the second specialist spinner in the squad after strong performances in the West Indies championship, where he claimed a chart-topping 41 wickets at an average of 13.56.
"Khary is included for the first time as our second spinner in what we expect to be helpful conditions," said Sammy.
Another left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie, who has not figured since the second Test against Pakistan in Multan in January, has been rested for this red-ball series to focus on the upcoming limited-overs schedule which includes the T20 World Cup in February and March.
West Indies, who are ranked eighth in the Test rankings, face a stiff test against the fourth-ranked side who are always so strong on home soil.
"Playing in the subcontinent always presents a challenge and we have selected a team to be competitive in these conditions." said Sammy.