L'Amante anglaise (The English Lover): Marguerite Duras's disturbing huis clos (behind closed doors)

Marguerite Duras explores the mystery of a crime in L'Amante anglaise, performed by a trio of actors led by Émilie Charriot. On view from March 21 to April 13 at the Théâtre National de l'Odéon in the 17th arrondissement's Grande Salle Berthier.

Inspired by a true story, L'Amante anglaise features a three-part interrogation in which the unfathomable mystery of a murder gradually takes shape. Claire Lannes, played by Dominique Reymond, has murdered and cut up her cousin Marie-Thérèse Bousquet. Faced with questions from L'Interrogateur, she tells the truth, while her husband Pierre Lannes, played by Nicolas Bouchaud, seems strangely unaware of the facts. Laurent Poitrenaux completes this score, in which language is at the heart of the investigation.

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Émilie Charriot 's staging is uncluttered, faithful to Marguerite Duras 's indications: no sets or costumes, just a space constructed by the light and the intensity of the performance. This simplicity highlights the power of the text, its false simplicity and evocative silences. The spoken word becomes the only field of investigation, where each question leaves room for more uncertainties than answers.

L'Amante anglaise is for audiences drawn to a theater of thought, where introspection and language play a central role. Lovers of Durassian universes, minimalist dramaturgy and dialogues both concrete and enigmatic will find it fascinating material to explore.

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With this show, Émilie Charriot continues her work centered on the essence of the text and the power of acting. L'Amante anglaise offers a singular experience, between light and darkness, where the spectator's imagination is fully solicited.