<DIV> <I>Closer </I>emerged as one of the most successful plays of the 1990s, and one with a continuing afterlife through the academy award nominated film adaptation in 2004. Although the work of dramatists such as Sarah Kane and Mark Ravenhill initially attracted the most critical and academic attention, Patrick Marber's <I>Closer </I>had long West End and Broadway runs. The play has since gone on to repeat this success in over 30 other countries.</DIV>