One of the most publicised, discussed and emblematic trials of our time. As though it were a sociological study, the trial revealed that in a perfectly normal town in Western Europe – Mazan, in the south of France, close to Avignone –, completely ordinary men from all social classes and of all ages are capable of one of the most extreme crimes: the repeated rape of an unconscious woman. A woman – Gisèle Pelicot – who, however, chose for the trial to take place publicly: “Shame must change sides”. The time has come to shift the sense of guilt from the victim to the perpetrator.
Bringing to the stage questioning, statements and comments surrounding this historical debate, Milo Rau and Servane Dècle have created a powerful and political act of memory.
«From a sociological or philosophical viewpoint – comments Rau – this case represents an involuntary empirical study of the omnipresence of the patriarchy and the culture of rape, which continue to infiltrate our lives despite decades of awareness campaigns, increasingly strict laws and the success of the MeToo movement in lending a voice to victims. It is as though we were saying: ‘We have shed light on one aspect of the problem, but there is another that remains entirely in the shadows’. One that has not yet been touched upon».

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The play explicitly addresses the theme of sexual violence and is therefore recommended for adult audiences only