Et au-delà rien n'est sûr

Pascale Daniel-Lacombe continues her exploration of Scandinavian literature by staging a play by Norwegian author Monica Isakstuen: a dream about a mother’s absence, an ode to theater and its possibilities.

It is half past midnight. A father is sitting in the kitchen of a small apartment, tired from his day. The child is sleeping in his or her room next door. Why isn’t the mother there? Monica Isakstuen, published by L’Arche along with several other Scandinavian authors such as Jon Fosse and Sara Stridsberg, draws inspiration from a children’s picture book that is very well known in Norway. The book tells the story of a father and his child without ever mentioning the mother, in order to dissect couple relationships and deconstruct dominant models. On stage, the characters—like actresses at work—explore various possibilities. Is she a victim, violent, dead, or sick? Does she lack the so-called “maternal instinct”? Is she abroad on a yoga retreat? Between dreams, fiction, apparitions, and multiple presences, anything goes. The theatrical performance breaks free from all boundaries in a jubilant exploration of possibilities. The author’s language—concrete and full of humor—resonates with the inventive skill, acting, and direction of the artistic director of the Poitiers National Drama Center.