Splendid's: Pièce en deux actes

by Jean Genet

Entre ciel et terre, au septième étage d'un hôtel de luxe, le Splendid's, sept gangsters rejoints par un policier en rupture de légalité défient l'ordre public : ils ont enlevé dans les salons la fille d'un millionnaire américain et réclament une rançon. Dans un moment d'inattention, l'un des bandits a malheureusement serré de trop près l'otage qui a "succombé par erreur". Pour sauver la situation et retarder l'assaut des forces de police, le chef du gang prend alors une résolution héroïque : il décide de faire lui-même une apparition, revêtu de la robe de bal de la jeune fille (éventail, dentelles, paillettes), sur les balcons du palace.Telle est la trame de cette fausse pièce policière qui vire avec le plus grand naturel du roman noir au numéro de travesti, oscille entre le drame métaphysique et le gag et, plus ouvertement que les autres oeuvres de Genet, est de part en part traversée par un rire.

Genres: Plays

110 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Jean Genet was a French novelist, playwright, poet, essayist, and political activist. In his early life he was a vagabond and petty criminal, but he later became a writer and playwright. His work, much of it considered scandalous when it first appeared, is now placed among the classics of modern literature and has been translated and performed throughout the world.

Reviews

[Gabe Root · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I would’ve loved this play a bit more if there weren’t the barrier of translation, but i was really invested in the themes that Genet was tackling, especially in the second act. i would love to be able to see it staged at some point

[Zowie · Rating 4 out of 5]

ce mec est objectivement mieux que les autres

[Theodore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Described as a turning point in Genet’s theatre and I agree. So visceral and yet so performative but it definitely works, despite how weird it is. It’s so internal.

[Mikael]

i went thru a french playwrights phase it ended before i got really gay but i loved jean genet who was gay but somehow i never got around to really read this thing i think i just got it for edmund whites introduction and since it mentioned ken tynan who i was in love with at that time