Review of Against You | Theater of cruelty

Duceppe offers a romantic crossover that is both perverse and sensual about the disorder of love. A piece which marks a brilliant entry for Solène Paré for her first collaboration with the company.

“Desire, like the world, is an accident,” writes Patrick Marber in his play Closertranslated by Fanny Britt under the title of Against youfor the new production directed by Solène Paré, and on display at Duceppe. Since its creation in London in 1997, the Sulfur piece of Marber was produced all over the world. And adapted for the cinema, in 2004, with Jude Law, Julia Roberts, Natalie Portman and Clive Owen. The latter also created the role of Dan at the National Theatre.

The British playwright has written a dark, disturbing love affair. A cross between Marivaux hardcore and modern Laclos. Of the Dangerous connections transposed in the 1990s. There is also Mamet and Pinter in this brilliant text, with well-crafted, tasty dialogues, not devoid of humor.

Against you features four polyamorous characters. For two hours, they will repeat acts of jealousy, manipulation, rivalry, betrayal and revenge to justify their romantic desire, or rather their lovelessness. Because, we quickly understand, their need for love is motivated by selfishness. And through a great existential void.

Relevant proofreading

Larry (excellent David Boutin), dermatologist, loves Anna (Alice Pascual, very solid), photographer, who cheats on him with Dan (aptly played by Isabelle Blais) who is in a relationship with Alice, young naked dancer, object of everyone’s desire (the young Inès Defosse, who plays this character with aplomb, as desirable as it is enigmatic).

At Duceppe, the director offers a rereading, with minor changes to the text. She feminized the character of Dan, an obituary journalist, who seeks to spice up his gloomy forties. Which brings a current dimension, more universal than militant, to the story. Because the mechanics of love remain similar, regardless of the gender or sexual orientation of the partners.

Of course, because of the intimate drama, no one will come out of this game of seduction unscathed. If the piece of more than two hours without intermission has lengths, Solène Paré knew how to breathe life into the whole.

A challenge all the greater since Duceppe is not the perfect setting to represent an intimate drama like this. For her first collaboration with the company, the director makes a solid entrance. It uses in particular a turntable which gives rhythm. She skillfully uses Geneviève Lizotte’s superb scenography, using giant photos and visual projections by Julien Blais.

The four performers are very solid. A mention for the young Inès Defosse, a real revelation! She will amaze you in the scene where she seduces Larry with her pole dancing. A scene full of eroticism and despair! Like this lucid and cruel work which explores the great disorder of love.

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