theatre la seizieme

Stupeur et tremblements is a powerful one woman show

A powerful one-woman show about cultural behaviours and repression, Amélie Nothomb’s play is captivating and profound. A long monologue about the role of a Japanese woman opens the play, as Amélie (Layla Metssitane) sits at her dressing table and carefully paints her face white. She describes the way a Japanese woman must act, explaining that to sweat is worse than to die, and that she can never hope for any joy in life. She explains that not committing suicide is a brave act of protest for a Japanese woman. This monologue immediately grabbed my attention, and had me alternately cringing…

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