Italy, the late 1990s. Olga, a 40-year-old woman with two children, is a devoted mother and wife. She does her best to lead a life in perfect harmony with what society imposes on her. One day, her husband leaves her for a young woman, as in the most pathetic soap opera. Her whole world collapses. In the grip of a permanent feeling of danger, Olga sinks into a state of rage. She becomes vulgar, violent, grotesque.
After she has removed her make-up and given up appearances, an unexpected woman emerges. Scandalous and powerful. Almost mythical, she steps forward in all her tragedy: a contemporary Medea, who no longer needs to kill to exist.
In this adaptation of Elena Ferrante’s book, actress and director Gaia Saitta plays this woman, accompanied by her children and her dog. Trading her oppressed body for a resistant one, she lets herself go, finally liberated.
Everything has to be rebuilt, starting with language. The audience, scattered on and off the stage, is both part of and witness to this transformation.
Gaia Saitta is an associate artist at the Théâtre National Wallonie-Bruxelles
Première 15.05.2024
Création Studio Théâtre National Wallonie-Bruxelles
Corealisation Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Théâtre National Wallonie-Bruxelles
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Information
Contacts:
Théâtre National Wallonie-Bruxelles
International Touring : Céline Gaubert - Head of touring and international relations
Touring in Belgium : Matthieu Defour - Production and tour manager
Production : Juliette Thieme - Head of production
Available for booking: 2024·2025 & 2025·2026
Cast
Concept, adaptation, director
Gaia Saitta
Artistic collaboration
Sarah Cuny
Mathieu Volpe
Jayson Batut
Text and dramaturgy
Gaia Saitta
Mathieu Volpe
Direction assistant
Sarah Cuny
With
Jayson Batut
Gaia Saitta
a child
a dog
Scenography
Paola Villani
Costume Design
Frédérick Denis
Music creation
Ezequiel Menalled
Voice
Maribeth Diggle
Video design
Stefano Serra
Dog coach
Casting Tails
A show by
Gaia Saitta / If Human
Production
Théâtre National Wallonie-Bruxelles
Coproduction
Le Manège Maubeuge, Théâtre du Rond-Point, Théâtre de Namur, Kunstenfestivaldesarts
With the support of
BAMP