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Livret de famille
Éric Rouquette
Livret de famille
photo: Justine Ducat
Actes du théâtre n° 84.[ imprimer ]
In the middle of the night Jérôme shows up at his older brother Marc’s.
He’s had no news from their mother for several days.
While Jérôme is in a panic, Marc reacts to her disappearance with detachment.
The two brothers weren’t seeing each other, and their mother was not blameless in their estrangement.
They reconnect over the course of the night, revealing their secrets.

‘‘Two brothers and their childhood being shuttled between parents. Sharing everyday lives, developing eternal ties. Laughter and tears. Memories and regrets too. Their lives take shape, heading down different paths. Whatever happens, each child takes in and perceives his parents differently, from his place in the family – eldest or youngest – to his time of birth in relation to the parents’ own lives, and each one’s specific character and sensibility. All that is what is explored and dissected in Éric Rouquette’s play, Livret de famille.’’
Nicole Clodi, La Dépêche du Midi, 9.17.14

Opened September 16, 2014
at the Théâtre du Pavé in Toulouse. Revived July 3-26, 2015 at the Théâtre La Luna in Avignon - Room 1. 9:05 p.m.
Staged by the playwright. Set design: Olivier Hébert. Lighting: Arnaud Dauga. Cast: Christophe de Mareuil and Guillaume Destrem.

Characters : 2 men -
Edition des Cygnes - lescygnes.fr/

JÉRÔME What exactly were you doing just now?
Marc. Huh?

JÉRÔME What were you doing when I knocked on the door?
MARC I told you, I was tucking into some pork pâté.
JÉRÔME You were tucking into pork pâté in the dark?
MARC Yes.
JÉRÔME Other than that?

MARC It’s not bad for starters.

JÉRÔME And what were those job appointments of yours?
MARC Nothing, really. A little non-profit that needs help moving.
JÉRÔME You’re in the moving business now?
MARC Gotta do something.

JÉRÔME How could you have fallen so low.
MARC I beg your pardon?
JÉRÔME Look at yourself. Eating pork pâté all alone in this damn mess. Look, you can’t even take a step without bumping into something.
MARC What the fuck do you care?

JÉRÔME I don’t. It’s just sad for you, that’s all. I don’t know how you can do it.
MARC You don’t? Well Jérôme, you’re only saying that because I’m your brother. That’s what bothers you. If it was some Joe Blow living here you wouldn’t give a toss.
JÉRÔME Right, but that’s exactly it. You are my brother.
MARC There you go. Now just forget that for ten seconds and take a good look at me. Look at me like I was nobody, like I didn’t mean anything to you. You’ll see that I’m totally okay with this damn mess, as you call it. It suits me, this damn mess.
JÉRÔME No, I don’t think so.
MARC Really? Well guess what, it’s the same for me. I don’t know how you can do it. With your job, your money, your nice little house in the suburbs with your wife and kids. It’s hard for me to connect that with my Jérôme, the one I know.
JÉRÔME And yet he’s the same.
MARC Oh no, no he isn’t. Let me tell you something: there will always be a world of difference between what people become and what was expected of them.
JÉRÔME And what were you expecting?
MARC Of you? Something else.
JÉRÔME Somebody a bit more like you?
MARC No, definitely not.
.../.