Bérénice Review: Guy Cassiers’ Staging at Comédie-Française
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Cassiers’ Staging of Racine’s ‘Bérénice’ at Comédie-Française Explores Love, Power, and Loss
PARIS (March 31, 2025) — Guy Cassiers’ direction of Jean Racine’s “Bérénice” at the Comédie-Française’s théâtre du Vieux-Colombier offers a stark, modern interpretation of the classic tragedy. The production, running until may 11, delves into the complexities of love, duty, and sacrifice within a minimalist, yet evocative, setting.
A Brutalist Temple of Unrequited Desires
The stage, bathed in diffuse light, features giant colonnades suggesting a brutalist cathedral. Bare panels framed by a glass roof and a central monolith create a temple-like atmosphere, setting the stage for the drama to unfold.The set design, a collaboration between Cassiers and bram Delafonteyne, emphasizes the emotional distance between the characters.
The play centers on Bérénice, a woman caught between two lovers: Titus, played by Jérémie Lopez, and Antiochus. Alexandre Pavloff embodies the merged roles of Arsace and Paulin, confidants whose presence underscores the male characters’ internal conflict between affection and ambition.
love and Loss in Modern Dress
Suliane Brahim portrays Bérénice not as a naive girl, but as a woman fully aware of her desires. Lopez’s Titus, in contrast, appears immature