Diphtong

drawn from L'Usage de la vie (Use of Life), Fayard 1998

Frédéric sets out one beautiful day to go and kill himself on the beach, his best attire planned out and folded up in his bag. He prepared his final ceremony worrying whether he will make an attractive deadman or whether he will be well-dressed enough for realms beyond. He will offer this other skin to Catherine, the loving woman emerging from the water, who will try to rescue him thinking she has saved him.
A union of two beings who will love each other with no bodily need. Words, gentle touches, the earth, the places of living memory, the parallel of their past lives, feelings ignited with the repetition of continually present acts, make them one.
One sole person.
One sole spirit for two.
An isolated bubble with two breaths from one heart. Far from the world, Frédéric sings out sweetly, half smiling the song of bodily bruising. A child who does not recognise himself in his adult perspective. An adult who has never learned how to sooth the cuts of childhood.
With this as well is that great desire to laugh because it is too much, because I understand nothing, because I love you, because... From then on, there’s no more to tell. Not here.

Hubert COLAS

Director, set design : Hubert COLAS

With: Thierry RAYNAUD

Video : Dominik BARBIER

Lighting : Pascale BONGIOVANNI - Hubert COLAS

Sound : Jean-Marc MONTERA

Production Manager: Xavier FANANAS

Production : Diphtong Cie, Théâtre des Bernardines, Fearless Médi@terranée

In collaboration with the Théâtre du Merlan, scène nationale de Marseille and the Théâtre, Scène nationale de Mâcon.

Many thanks to La Chartreuse, Centre National des Ecritures du Spectacle and to the Théâtre de la Cité Internationale.