Humankind Sick with Fear
Who could have imagined, just a few years ago, that we would reach this point—and so quickly? The utterly unprecedented situation we all experienced for months on end has led us to reflect more broadly on the world we live in, the political class that governs us, and, since democracy has not yet entirely succumbed to the virus of authoritarianism, our own responsibility in bringing them to power and keeping them there.
Can we truly rely entirely on absurd leaders and bureaucracies to guide our fear-stricken society toward recovery? This health crisis has undoubtedly raised fundamental questions about the limits of power delegation in the democracy we live in. In the United States, as in France, entrusting one’s destiny every four or five years to a King Ubu—can that really be called democracy?
Far from all the conspiracy theories, which ultimately serve only to keep the engaged citizen we should aspire to be in the role of a passive spectator, these plays aim above all to spark a debate—always with a touch of humor. The role of theatre is to ask the right questions, not to provide answers, which each individual must find for themselves before we can work together to implement them.
Politics often resembles a ruthless game of chess, devoid of moral considerations. Whether playing as the white or black pieces, the ultimate goal for each side is to conquer and eliminate the other, leaving only a solitary king on the board. This absurd game concludes with the opponent's defeat, bringing the entire game to an end, only to set the stage for a potential rematch. Such is the theme explored in this dark comedy, where the king, queen, and their conniving contenders spare no pawns in their quest for victory. It serves as a tragicomic portrayal of the excesses that those infected with the political virus can indulge in...
It’s been seven years since a health crisis caused the closure of all theatres. Three individuals, presumed to be actors, step on a stage for an audition. Unless it’s a public reading. Or it might even be the show’s opening … The problem is that they don’t have the script. The author hasn’t written it yet. They’re going to have to improvise…
Four strangers find themselves forcefully quarantined in what turns out to be an abandoned theater. Seated behind an imaginary two-way mirror, they are observed by another group of people (the audience). The allegedly contaminated strangers consider the situation. What virus are they contaminated with? What will happen to them? How and when will all this end? Little by little, we learn that this huis-clos takes place in a near future where Big Brother reigns supreme, and that the reason for this quarantine may not be entirely medically motivated.