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Théâtre National Wallonie-Bruxelles

Les Jours de mon abandon

Elena Ferrante
Gaia Saitta

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

© Gloria Scorier