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Conversations après un enterrement
"Arrête avec ces chaises ! ... Nous sommes des gens civilisés, nous souffrons avec des règles, chacun retient son souffle, pas de tragédie...Pourquoi au fond ? Je n'en sais rien, mais c'est comme ça. Toi et moi, nous participons à cet effort de dignité..."
72 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
10 people are currently reading
686 people want to read
About the author
Yasmina Reza
59 books588 followersYasmina Reza began work as an actress, appearing in several new plays as well as in plays by Molière and Marivaux. In 1987 she wrote Conversations after a Burial, which won the Molière Award for Best Author. Following this, she translated Kafka's Metamorphosis for Roman Polanski and was nominated for a Molière Award for Best Translation. Her second play, Winter Crossing, won the 1990 Molière for Best Fringe Production, and her next play The Unexpected Man, enjoyed successful productions in England, France, Scandinavia, Germany and New York. In 1995, Art premiered in Paris and went on to win the Molière Award for Best Author. Since then it has been produced world-wide and translated into 20 languages. The London production received the 1996-97 Olivier Award and Evening Standard Award. Screenwriting credits include See You Tomorrow, starring Jeanne Moreau and directed by Didier Martiny. In September 1997, her first novel, Hammerklavier, was published.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
March 8, 2021
This is Yasmina Reza's first play. And it's sooo good? I mean, what a talent. I knew there is a reason she is one of my favorite playwrights. I'm currently working my way through her early work and Conversations après un enterrement (= Conversations after a burial) truly stands out. It's such a great play. The characters are little shitheads but you're still curious about them. The tension between them is great. The stakes are so fucking high, so that you absolutely have to know how this shit show will end. Truly, a wonderful Rezaian play.
The play, like so many of her plays, is basically a little family drama that unfolds at the same location during a short period of time. Paterfamilias Simon Weinberg has just passed away, and, according to his wishes, just been buried – not beside his wife, in the cemetery, but on his own land. The mourners cover the coffin with dirt as the play begins.
Assembled are his three children, all in their 40s now: Nathan, Édith, and Alex. Also in attendance is Pierre, their uncle (on their mother's side) and his wife, Julienne, as well as Élisa, the odd woman out: formerly Alex’s girlfriend, she has been in love with Nathan for some time.
What follows is a small family drama in which secrets, unlike Simon’s corpse, aren’t so easily buried.
There are some tensions that might be expected at any such family gathering, as everyone is trying to come to terms with past, present, and future. The father is laid to rest, but his presence is still felt. However, some unexpected facts are revealed as well, which change the family's perception of each other and the recently deceased Simon Weinberg.
The children, all unmarried, seem not to have much luck in love. Élisa's presence causes complications, and despite her best efforts she can't escape the gathering. Alex didn't know she was coming to the burial and she plans to leave right after to avoid confrontation with him ... but when her car breaks down, she is forced to stay for the night.
As with all of Reza's plays, the stage design is minimal. She doesn't want any distractions. She imagined and "open space" where the characters can take up enough room to explore their innermost wishes and repressed feelings. As we have already established, these six characters meet for Simon Weinberg's burial. We meet them right when the coffin is being covered with dirt, as Nathan reads from a letter that his father had addressed at 20 years old to his then still unborn son. Nathan, whom the father saw as his "prodigious radiance" can be seen as the star-child and beloved of the family.
His younger brother Alex, an ambitious writer, has always felt unloved by his father, and can't stand the fact that Élisa has abandoned him and prefers his brother to her. Nathan, however, has, with the exception of one time, never returned Élisa's advances out of respect for his brother.
Their sister Édith, the middle child, knows about their feelings and tries to avoid clashes that could potentially lead to a violent break-up.
Pierre, their uncle, is a witness to the past (the father's relationship with his children, Alex and Nathan's psychology, etc.). He is there to speak the truth but also to calm the situation down when it becomes too confrontational. His wife, Julienne, is a woman of common sense, full of ingenuity and good feelings, whose role often borders on scapegoating.
Élisa, the only character who does not belong to the family, is the so-called disruptive element: arriving unexpectedly, she is the source of many of the problems to come, especially as she is always prevented from leaving the family grounds.
There are many reasons why I enjoyed this play so much. First of all, I found it realistic in its exaggerations. As always, Yasmina Reza captured these perfect little moments that absolutely made me feel for the characters and made me believe that they are real people. I enjoyed her exploration of the different forms of grieving and guilt in particular.
In general, I really felt for Alex in this play, which might seem surprising. He's not necessarily the nicest character and the way he treats his ex-girlfriend is horrible. However, I could somewhat connect to his own feelings of bitterness and feeling like his life has no purpose. Alex is a writer. Or at least trying to be one.
The other subplot that had me absolutely dying and literally on the edge of my seat was the relationship of Nathan and Élisa. I don't know why and I don't know how, but DAMN, I was rooting for these two. Their relationship was filled with so much tension because Élisa had formerly dated Alex, and for fear of hurting him, she and Nathan never really allowed themselves to give oneself over to their emotions and passion. I found their relationship so interesting and was genuinely curious to see how it would play out in the end.
Overall, the relationships in this play - between the siblings, the siblings and their father, the siblings and their lovers, etc. - were very intriguing and a delight to follow. Reza truly shines with her dialogue, witty banter and heartfelt moments throughout the play. Overall, it is a great exploration of family dynamics and the manifold process of mourning.
The play, like so many of her plays, is basically a little family drama that unfolds at the same location during a short period of time. Paterfamilias Simon Weinberg has just passed away, and, according to his wishes, just been buried – not beside his wife, in the cemetery, but on his own land. The mourners cover the coffin with dirt as the play begins.
Assembled are his three children, all in their 40s now: Nathan, Édith, and Alex. Also in attendance is Pierre, their uncle (on their mother's side) and his wife, Julienne, as well as Élisa, the odd woman out: formerly Alex’s girlfriend, she has been in love with Nathan for some time.
What follows is a small family drama in which secrets, unlike Simon’s corpse, aren’t so easily buried.
There are some tensions that might be expected at any such family gathering, as everyone is trying to come to terms with past, present, and future. The father is laid to rest, but his presence is still felt. However, some unexpected facts are revealed as well, which change the family's perception of each other and the recently deceased Simon Weinberg.
The children, all unmarried, seem not to have much luck in love. Élisa's presence causes complications, and despite her best efforts she can't escape the gathering. Alex didn't know she was coming to the burial and she plans to leave right after to avoid confrontation with him ... but when her car breaks down, she is forced to stay for the night.
As with all of Reza's plays, the stage design is minimal. She doesn't want any distractions. She imagined and "open space" where the characters can take up enough room to explore their innermost wishes and repressed feelings. As we have already established, these six characters meet for Simon Weinberg's burial. We meet them right when the coffin is being covered with dirt, as Nathan reads from a letter that his father had addressed at 20 years old to his then still unborn son. Nathan, whom the father saw as his "prodigious radiance" can be seen as the star-child and beloved of the family.
His younger brother Alex, an ambitious writer, has always felt unloved by his father, and can't stand the fact that Élisa has abandoned him and prefers his brother to her. Nathan, however, has, with the exception of one time, never returned Élisa's advances out of respect for his brother.
Their sister Édith, the middle child, knows about their feelings and tries to avoid clashes that could potentially lead to a violent break-up.
Pierre, their uncle, is a witness to the past (the father's relationship with his children, Alex and Nathan's psychology, etc.). He is there to speak the truth but also to calm the situation down when it becomes too confrontational. His wife, Julienne, is a woman of common sense, full of ingenuity and good feelings, whose role often borders on scapegoating.
Élisa, the only character who does not belong to the family, is the so-called disruptive element: arriving unexpectedly, she is the source of many of the problems to come, especially as she is always prevented from leaving the family grounds.
There are many reasons why I enjoyed this play so much. First of all, I found it realistic in its exaggerations. As always, Yasmina Reza captured these perfect little moments that absolutely made me feel for the characters and made me believe that they are real people. I enjoyed her exploration of the different forms of grieving and guilt in particular.
ALEX: Mais moi j'ai envie que tu me dises que je vais le revoir! Merde, c'est simple, c'est net, j'ai envie que tu me dises: «Oui. Tu vas le revoir.» J'ai besoin de ça! C'est con, c'est ce que tu veux, mais j'ai envie d'entendre, j'ai envie qu'on me dise: «Oui. Tu le reverras!»Alex's conversation with his uncle was one of the strongest moments in the play. After the burial, Alex feels lost and is overcome by guilt and grief. He confides in his uncle and tells him that as his father lay dying, he never found the right words to console him. He fears that his father died bitter, that his father died with little love and understanding of Alex and his lifestyle. He remembers a lot of their encounters and pleads with his uncle to tell him that he will eventually see his father again. He knows it's no use but he really needs someone to tell him that everything will be okay. His uncle is good at listening and eventually confesses that despite the fact that he's always seen as a man of "good humor", no one will cry at his grave the way that Alex is crying right now at the grave of his father. It's a chilling moment that reveals so much. About Pierre. But also about the impact that Simon left on the lives of his children.
In general, I really felt for Alex in this play, which might seem surprising. He's not necessarily the nicest character and the way he treats his ex-girlfriend is horrible. However, I could somewhat connect to his own feelings of bitterness and feeling like his life has no purpose. Alex is a writer. Or at least trying to be one.
ALEX: Je n'ai rien à dire. Je n'ai jamais eu rien à dire. Comment écrire lorsqu'on n'a strictement rien à dire?At one point, he asks himself the exact question that I am always asking myself: How can you write when you have absolutely nothing to say? Towards the end of the play, he comes to the conclusion that writing means going somewhere people don't go (“C'est exactement ça écrire, aller quelque part où on ne va pas…”), it's about exploring something of worth that hasn't been explored before. And that also means being honest with yourself. So, even though Alex did some really shitty things, I still liked following him on his journey of self-revelation after his father's death.
The other subplot that had me absolutely dying and literally on the edge of my seat was the relationship of Nathan and Élisa. I don't know why and I don't know how, but DAMN, I was rooting for these two. Their relationship was filled with so much tension because Élisa had formerly dated Alex, and for fear of hurting him, she and Nathan never really allowed themselves to give oneself over to their emotions and passion. I found their relationship so interesting and was genuinely curious to see how it would play out in the end.
Overall, the relationships in this play - between the siblings, the siblings and their father, the siblings and their lovers, etc. - were very intriguing and a delight to follow. Reza truly shines with her dialogue, witty banter and heartfelt moments throughout the play. Overall, it is a great exploration of family dynamics and the manifold process of mourning.
July 6, 2016
خیلی نمایشنامهٔ خوبیه. به من که حسابی چسبید.
December 5, 2020
First performed in September 2000, at the Almeida Theatre, London, this was the forth Reza play I've read, and overall I found it to be pretty good, but not anywhere near as good as the brilliant 'Art'.
February 14, 2021
The family gathers after the patriarch's funeral and all their familial dysfunction and secrets come tumbling out. Sounds interesting, right? Yet it's dull, bland and pointless, unless the point was to show that they are all vaguely unlikeable people.
October 15, 2025
Reza una certezza!
April 17, 2025
"...Avevo questo genere di idee folgoranti a vent'anni... E anziché tutto questo, lo scenario quotidiano, la piccola ferita al centro del mondo, la sequela interminabile dei desideri, dei passi, dei gesti inutili... Il labirinto dei sentieri inutili... E anche la tenerezza... la tenerezza che mi paralizza"
I dialoghi della Reza non si battono
I dialoghi della Reza non si battono
May 20, 2023
Recensione a cura della pagina instagram pagine_e_inchiostro:
Conversazioni dopo un funerale é una pièce impostata sul lutto e sui conflitti famigliari.
La Reza aveva venticinque anni quando ha scritto questa opera, che già mostra diversi punti chiave della sua narrazione: il linguaggio scarno e secco, l’uso dei dialoghi, la chiarezza delle dinamiche, gli stati d’animo dei personaggi. La Reza ha l’abilità di raccontare ciò che si cela dietro ai rapporti umani: astio, amore, scambi di occhiate, silenzi.
Il suo linguaggio cambia continuamente registro, passando dall’ironico e il dissacrante, al tragico e commovente.
Così affiorano temi comuni a tutte le famiglie: gelosie, rancori, dubbi, affetti, incomprensioni, tradimenti.
La Reza é una maestra nel mostrare la fragilità dei rapporti umani, ma lo fa con un certo sarcasmo, un certo amore per le piccole cose.
Il velo cala sui segreti di famiglia come un sipario, rivelandoci il meglio e il peggio dell’Uomo. Il lettore non può che assistere a questo piccolo teatro dell’assurdo, composto da scene quotidiane realistiche e incomprensibili allo stesso tempo, attendendo una catarsi.
Ciò che la Reza trasmette é, al termine, l’eterno scorrere della vita che non si ferma davanti a nulla.
Conversazioni dopo un funerale é una pièce impostata sul lutto e sui conflitti famigliari.
La Reza aveva venticinque anni quando ha scritto questa opera, che già mostra diversi punti chiave della sua narrazione: il linguaggio scarno e secco, l’uso dei dialoghi, la chiarezza delle dinamiche, gli stati d’animo dei personaggi. La Reza ha l’abilità di raccontare ciò che si cela dietro ai rapporti umani: astio, amore, scambi di occhiate, silenzi.
Il suo linguaggio cambia continuamente registro, passando dall’ironico e il dissacrante, al tragico e commovente.
Così affiorano temi comuni a tutte le famiglie: gelosie, rancori, dubbi, affetti, incomprensioni, tradimenti.
La Reza é una maestra nel mostrare la fragilità dei rapporti umani, ma lo fa con un certo sarcasmo, un certo amore per le piccole cose.
Il velo cala sui segreti di famiglia come un sipario, rivelandoci il meglio e il peggio dell’Uomo. Il lettore non può che assistere a questo piccolo teatro dell’assurdo, composto da scene quotidiane realistiche e incomprensibili allo stesso tempo, attendendo una catarsi.
Ciò che la Reza trasmette é, al termine, l’eterno scorrere della vita che non si ferma davanti a nulla.
February 5, 2016
گفتگوهای پس از یک خاکسپاری رو با ترجمه فتاح محمدی خوندم. به نظرم ترجمه خوبی نیومد. یک دستی متن جاهایی با کلمات ناهمگون با متن به هم میخورد که به نظرم میرسید باید مشکل از ترجمه باشه.
خالی بودن زندگی چهار شخصیت به نسبت جوون داستان ( ناتان،الکس، الیزا و ادیت) در مقابل دو شخصیت مسنتر (دایی و زندایی) برای من تکون دهنده بود. آدمهایی ناکام در عشق با زندگیهایی که هیچ چیز درست و حسابی تعریفش نمیکنه. آدمهایی کمی خشمگین با پیشقضاوتهایی که اگر چه بعضیهاشون بلدند اجازه دیده شدنش رو ندند اما در نهایت همین پیشقضاوتها رابطه ها رو دچار تنش میکنه.
به نظرم میاد کلید فهم نمایشنامه در اولین صفحه نهفته. جایی که ناتان در مراسم خاکسپاری پدرش متنی میخونه و در اون از زبان نویسنده متن میگه: «وقتی پدرم مرد ... خود را در دنیا تنها یافتم. چنان تنها و چنان ناگهانی به خود آمده که شیطان به سراغم آمد... به او خوشآمد گفتم، او را چون یاوری نجاتبخش یافتم ...».ناتان، الکس و ادیت در جریان نمایش در موقعیت راوی همین متنند و هر کدومشون به نحوی به شیطان خوشآمد میگن تا خالی بودن یک زندگی رو با چیزی پر کنن.
خالی بودن زندگی چهار شخصیت به نسبت جوون داستان ( ناتان،الکس، الیزا و ادیت) در مقابل دو شخصیت مسنتر (دایی و زندایی) برای من تکون دهنده بود. آدمهایی ناکام در عشق با زندگیهایی که هیچ چیز درست و حسابی تعریفش نمیکنه. آدمهایی کمی خشمگین با پیشقضاوتهایی که اگر چه بعضیهاشون بلدند اجازه دیده شدنش رو ندند اما در نهایت همین پیشقضاوتها رابطه ها رو دچار تنش میکنه.
به نظرم میاد کلید فهم نمایشنامه در اولین صفحه نهفته. جایی که ناتان در مراسم خاکسپاری پدرش متنی میخونه و در اون از زبان نویسنده متن میگه: «وقتی پدرم مرد ... خود را در دنیا تنها یافتم. چنان تنها و چنان ناگهانی به خود آمده که شیطان به سراغم آمد... به او خوشآمد گفتم، او را چون یاوری نجاتبخش یافتم ...».ناتان، الکس و ادیت در جریان نمایش در موقعیت راوی همین متنند و هر کدومشون به نحوی به شیطان خوشآمد میگن تا خالی بودن یک زندگی رو با چیزی پر کنن.
May 14, 2018
نمایشنامه شخصیت هارو در بستر "فقدان" معرفی میکنه. هرکدومشون در طول این مدت چیزی رو از دست دادن و به بهونه یه فقدان مشترک که مرگ پدر هست دور هم جمع شدن.
وقتی چیزی رو از دست میدی شروع میکنی به جست و جو در گذشته، چیزی باید باشه که بودنش انقدر محکم باشه که فقدان امرو�� رو کمرنگ کنه.
شخصیت ها بین گفت و گوهاشون مدام به گذشته چنگ میزنن. روابط و تصمیماتشون رو زیر سوال میبرن، این که چی میخواستن چی به دست اوردن و چی از دست دادن. اما در آخر به رفتن که نزدیک میشن همون آدمای قبل میشن. مثل این که این خاکسپاری یه دکمه پاز تو زندگی هرکدومشون بود، توقف کردن به اطراف نگاه کردن باهم حرف زدن دعوا کردن بعد تمام.
این نمایشنامه رو خیلی دوست داشتم
وقتی چیزی رو از دست میدی شروع میکنی به جست و جو در گذشته، چیزی باید باشه که بودنش انقدر محکم باشه که فقدان امرو�� رو کمرنگ کنه.
شخصیت ها بین گفت و گوهاشون مدام به گذشته چنگ میزنن. روابط و تصمیماتشون رو زیر سوال میبرن، این که چی میخواستن چی به دست اوردن و چی از دست دادن. اما در آخر به رفتن که نزدیک میشن همون آدمای قبل میشن. مثل این که این خاکسپاری یه دکمه پاز تو زندگی هرکدومشون بود، توقف کردن به اطراف نگاه کردن باهم حرف زدن دعوا کردن بعد تمام.
این نمایشنامه رو خیلی دوست داشتم
Read
October 18, 2023I know absolutely nothing about playwrights so take everything I say with a grain of salt but I liked how blunt and 'pointless' this was. I felt like the silences and pauses said a lot and carried many of the secrets and thoughts that were not said out loud.
I'd love to see it played.
I'd love to see it played.
December 20, 2024
I read that Conversations After a Burial was Reza's first play, and even though I have only read two others, I could see how much her style has changed.
The play follows six people who come together for Simon Weinberg's funeral. Among these are Weinberg's 50-something-year-old children - Nathan, Edith, and Alex - their uncle Pierre, his wife Julianne, and Alex's ex-mistress Elisa. As is always the case with funerals, weddings, and family gatherings of any kind really, tensions are high and they reveal themselves in sudden explosions and passive-aggressive comments under seemingly nonchalant conversation.
This play has a lot more stage direction and a lot less abstractness. There are many more characters than in The Unexpected Man and 'Art,' and they are much clearer cutouts, none of them straying too much from what was initially written for them. The plot was more structured and linear. If it wasn't for the ending, I would have still loved this one, except it wouldn't have hit me this hard.
So I think I should talk about the ending. It's really the only abstract thing about this play, with Reza moving almost too abruptly from a linear plot about a family fight to a near-transcendental meditation on writing and what story creation feels like. I realise the ending is not super popular on here, but I loved it. For me, it uplifted a straightforward story into something demanding reflection, something a bit odd, something more like what I am used to from Reza.
Other than that, what can I say? Dysfunctional families and self-sabotage are my two favourite genres, and this one has both. I didn't enjoy it as much as the other two, however, for people who are reading her work for the first time, this one is pretty darn good.
The play follows six people who come together for Simon Weinberg's funeral. Among these are Weinberg's 50-something-year-old children - Nathan, Edith, and Alex - their uncle Pierre, his wife Julianne, and Alex's ex-mistress Elisa. As is always the case with funerals, weddings, and family gatherings of any kind really, tensions are high and they reveal themselves in sudden explosions and passive-aggressive comments under seemingly nonchalant conversation.
This play has a lot more stage direction and a lot less abstractness. There are many more characters than in The Unexpected Man and 'Art,' and they are much clearer cutouts, none of them straying too much from what was initially written for them. The plot was more structured and linear. If it wasn't for the ending, I would have still loved this one, except it wouldn't have hit me this hard.
So I think I should talk about the ending. It's really the only abstract thing about this play, with Reza moving almost too abruptly from a linear plot about a family fight to a near-transcendental meditation on writing and what story creation feels like. I realise the ending is not super popular on here, but I loved it. For me, it uplifted a straightforward story into something demanding reflection, something a bit odd, something more like what I am used to from Reza.
Other than that, what can I say? Dysfunctional families and self-sabotage are my two favourite genres, and this one has both. I didn't enjoy it as much as the other two, however, for people who are reading her work for the first time, this one is pretty darn good.
May 20, 2025
Imbarazzante
October 26, 2024
“Niente le impedisce di truccarsi e vestirsi”
“Per chi?”
“Per nessuno! Per tutti…per se stessa”
4,5⭐️
“Per chi?”
“Per nessuno! Per tutti…per se stessa”
4,5⭐️
January 12, 2015
اين ترجمه ش رو اصلا توصيه نمى كنم
August 21, 2020
No point, no enlightenment, no imagery.
September 27, 2024
Passages qui m'ont plu :
"PIERRE - Optimiste...Je ne pense pas que tu aies choisi le mot approprié.
ALEX - Tu as compris. Traduis.
PIERRE - Tu veux dire que je manifeste dans la vie une certaine bonne humeur...Oui...Oui...Mais quand je serai mort, personne n'ira pleurer sur ma tombe pour une cuisse de poulet."
"Nous avons convenu que cette sensation d'être nulle part provenait du soir et de la province."
La lecture est fluide, je me suis laissé prendre par l'atmosphère générale de la pièce : l'ambiance de campagne en automne, le parler petit-bourgeois des années 80, l'humour pince-sans-rire...
Par contre, j'ai été soûlé par les clichés, les personnages notamment : l'homme sanguin qui piège les autres avec ces questions et ses remarques, qui met mal à l'aise, et qui se vexe quand on le reprend, le vieux sage excentrique et loufoque, la jeune fille mal à l'aise mais qui bout à l'intérieur jusqu'à craquer; leur mélancolie et leur cynisme.
Le naturalisme des personnages renforçait le côté cliché qui m'a dérangé, c'était plombant.
"PIERRE - Optimiste...Je ne pense pas que tu aies choisi le mot approprié.
ALEX - Tu as compris. Traduis.
PIERRE - Tu veux dire que je manifeste dans la vie une certaine bonne humeur...Oui...Oui...Mais quand je serai mort, personne n'ira pleurer sur ma tombe pour une cuisse de poulet."
"Nous avons convenu que cette sensation d'être nulle part provenait du soir et de la province."
La lecture est fluide, je me suis laissé prendre par l'atmosphère générale de la pièce : l'ambiance de campagne en automne, le parler petit-bourgeois des années 80, l'humour pince-sans-rire...
Par contre, j'ai été soûlé par les clichés, les personnages notamment : l'homme sanguin qui piège les autres avec ces questions et ses remarques, qui met mal à l'aise, et qui se vexe quand on le reprend, le vieux sage excentrique et loufoque, la jeune fille mal à l'aise mais qui bout à l'intérieur jusqu'à craquer; leur mélancolie et leur cynisme.
Le naturalisme des personnages renforçait le côté cliché qui m'a dérangé, c'était plombant.
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January 23, 2025Elisa: "Nathan, credo che non ci rivedremo mai più, devo dirti una cosa...Per tutti questi anni ho avuto un unico pensiero, rivederti, ho avuto un'unica ossessione, rivederti, vederti, sentire la tua voce... Sei stato il mio tormento, sono incapace di amare chiunque altro...".
September 4, 2023
Reza è sempre Reza.
January 26, 2025
A sort of sober and pointless vibe specific to French literature & befitting the liminal space opened by mourning. Unfortunately I think I killed the usual accompanying wit by reading it in translation…
July 27, 2024
I’ve previously read two of Yasmina Reza’s plays, Art and The Unexpected Man. Conversations After a Burial is an earlier work, Reza’s first play, but I read it in Christopher Hampton’s translation which followed the other two. Conversations After a Burial feels a fully accomplished work, not an apprentice work, Reza having found the form and style that suited her purpose – although it is possible that the translation has smoothed off any rough edges. As with the later plays, Conversations After a Burial has short scenes and builds the characters through a series of encounters, but there are more characters than the other Reza plays I’ve read and the final scene is, at least in its greater length, a more traditional finale than those found in the other two plays. The head of a family has died and has been buried in the grounds of his house; attending the funeral are his three children – Nathan, Edith and Alex – and his brother-in-law Pierre and his wife Julienne. There is also Elisa who once lived with Alex. A lot of the dialogue in the earlier part of the play is very mannered, perhaps stilted, but I presume this is not ‘bad’ writing, but an attempt to show the emotional lives of this wealthy milieu. (Also, despite the fact that Elisa once lived with Alex, she is referred to as his former mistress: I presume this term is part of the conservative milieu.) The characters have their encounters and we find out certain things about them (e.g., Alex tends to be bitter, his relationship with Elisa ended after she slept with Nathan, etc), but the central question about Reza’s plays is, ‘Are they inconsequential?’ There are no Big Themes, but I don’t particularly like Big Theme literature. But I am uncertain how interesting the characters are: they are amusing, but are they substantial? Paradoxically, the characters in Conversations After a Burial might be less amusing, but more substantial than the characters in her other plays (that I’ve read)...while they might not provide such juicy roles for the actors. And Reza does seem to have problems in satisfactorily closing her narratives: they are neither satisfactorily closed nor left open in any particularly provoking ways. Conversations After a Burial is the least satisfactory of the three plays by Reza that I’ve read – although that is allowable as it was her first.
June 23, 2023
Il giorno del funerale del padre, i tre figli – Nathan, Alex ed Édith – si ritrovano nella tenuta di famiglia, nella Loira, dove l’uomo ha scelto di farsi seppellire. Insieme a loro lo zio Pierre, la sua nuova moglie Julienne e l’ex fidanzata di Alex, Élisa.
Libro scelto per me da @titta08 per questo mese per il nostro progetto #cèunlibroperte. Premetto da subito che i testi teatrali non sono tra i miei generi preferiti e quindi sono dovuta uscire un po' dalla mia comfort zone...il libro è di velocissima lettura, con le sue 89 pagine si legge in meno di un ora e i dialoghi sono scorrevoli e mai noiosi...lo stile dell'autrice è chiaro, permette di vivere in prima persona l'essenza e gli stati d'animo dei suoi personaggi e ha la maestria di saper riunire il tragico e il comico in un tutt'uno...ho apprezzato tantissimo tutta la narrazione e mi sembrava davvero di essere lì davanti a loro come una spettatrice silenziosa, ma ho faticato (e fatico tutt'ora) al termine della lettura a capire cosa esattamente la Reza volesse farci effettivamente arrivare, l'argomento base, la tesi, su cui si basa tutta la struttura...
Personalmente ho inteso che volesse puntare su quanto un avvenimento tragico che per ovvi motivi scombussola l'animo, possa far uscire fuori sentimenti e cose non dette che in situazioni "normali" si tende a tenere socchiuse in qualche angolo della mente, vuoi per non creare discussioni, vuoi per non offendere o ferire nessuno...il riuscire a tirare fuori la propria reale essenza senza censure che però viene aperta come il vaso di Pandora da un sentimento di sofferenza al quale non si riesce a combattere e che ti sovrasta in quel momento...non so se la mia interpretazione è corretta o meno, mi sono letta un po' di altre recensioni per capire se il mio punto di vista fosse più o meno adeguato ma poi ho dato retta alla mia cara amica che dice che il teatro è soggettivo, non a tutti arriva la stessa cosa...ed è questo il bello ❤️.
Voto= 7 su 10
23/06/2023
Libro scelto per me da @titta08 per questo mese per il nostro progetto #cèunlibroperte. Premetto da subito che i testi teatrali non sono tra i miei generi preferiti e quindi sono dovuta uscire un po' dalla mia comfort zone...il libro è di velocissima lettura, con le sue 89 pagine si legge in meno di un ora e i dialoghi sono scorrevoli e mai noiosi...lo stile dell'autrice è chiaro, permette di vivere in prima persona l'essenza e gli stati d'animo dei suoi personaggi e ha la maestria di saper riunire il tragico e il comico in un tutt'uno...ho apprezzato tantissimo tutta la narrazione e mi sembrava davvero di essere lì davanti a loro come una spettatrice silenziosa, ma ho faticato (e fatico tutt'ora) al termine della lettura a capire cosa esattamente la Reza volesse farci effettivamente arrivare, l'argomento base, la tesi, su cui si basa tutta la struttura...
Personalmente ho inteso che volesse puntare su quanto un avvenimento tragico che per ovvi motivi scombussola l'animo, possa far uscire fuori sentimenti e cose non dette che in situazioni "normali" si tende a tenere socchiuse in qualche angolo della mente, vuoi per non creare discussioni, vuoi per non offendere o ferire nessuno...il riuscire a tirare fuori la propria reale essenza senza censure che però viene aperta come il vaso di Pandora da un sentimento di sofferenza al quale non si riesce a combattere e che ti sovrasta in quel momento...non so se la mia interpretazione è corretta o meno, mi sono letta un po' di altre recensioni per capire se il mio punto di vista fosse più o meno adeguato ma poi ho dato retta alla mia cara amica che dice che il teatro è soggettivo, non a tutti arriva la stessa cosa...ed è questo il bello ❤️.
Voto= 7 su 10
23/06/2023
June 17, 2024
“È esattamente questo scrivere, andare in un posto dove non si va… E, qualunque cosa si faccia, sulla pagina bianca ci sono già il ritorno e la fine dell’avventura…”
Reza completa questo suo primo lavoro tra il 1983 e il 1984, a venticinque anni, una pièce teatrale che mostra, già dal suo esordio come drammaturga, la capacità di essere essenziale e tagliente utilizzando solo i dialoghi. Ho letto un suo romanzo (Felici i felici), ma credo che lei dia il meglio di sé proprio nel genere dei testi teatrali. Non le servono molte parole per far arrivare al lettore i personaggi delle sue tragicommedie, e quanto ho riportato nella citazione iniziale è valido anche per chi la legge: va in un posto dove non è fisicamente.
Entra negli stati d’animo degli attori, che sono, in questo caso, due fratelli e una sorella, uno zio con consorte e l’ex compagna di uno dei fratelli riuniti dopo la cerimonia funebre del padre.
Reza ha questa incredibile capacità di usare un linguaggio secco, semplice e diretto che alterna comicità- talvolta involontaria - a tragedia, in uno svelamento, qui, di vecchi rancori, frizioni, segreti che non erano nemmeno segreti per tutti. Ho la sensazione che spesso parli di noi meglio di noi stessi.
Insomma, lo stile che chi conosce Reza si aspetta. Se ancora non la conoscete che cosa state aspettando?
Reza completa questo suo primo lavoro tra il 1983 e il 1984, a venticinque anni, una pièce teatrale che mostra, già dal suo esordio come drammaturga, la capacità di essere essenziale e tagliente utilizzando solo i dialoghi. Ho letto un suo romanzo (Felici i felici), ma credo che lei dia il meglio di sé proprio nel genere dei testi teatrali. Non le servono molte parole per far arrivare al lettore i personaggi delle sue tragicommedie, e quanto ho riportato nella citazione iniziale è valido anche per chi la legge: va in un posto dove non è fisicamente.
Entra negli stati d’animo degli attori, che sono, in questo caso, due fratelli e una sorella, uno zio con consorte e l’ex compagna di uno dei fratelli riuniti dopo la cerimonia funebre del padre.
Reza ha questa incredibile capacità di usare un linguaggio secco, semplice e diretto che alterna comicità- talvolta involontaria - a tragedia, in uno svelamento, qui, di vecchi rancori, frizioni, segreti che non erano nemmeno segreti per tutti. Ho la sensazione che spesso parli di noi meglio di noi stessi.
Insomma, lo stile che chi conosce Reza si aspetta. Se ancora non la conoscete che cosa state aspettando?
October 5, 2023
Data la fama e la stima di cui gode Reza, mi aspettavo una pièce dal ritmo incalzante, dai toni taglienti e dell'ironia sottile, dialoghi "wit" à la Wilde e assenza di tempi morti.
Lo scritto, invece, è chiaramente un primo lavoro, con un paio di battute riuscite. Per il resto, però, sembra sottotono (o io non ho capito l'intento): la riduzione del dialogo a scambi asciutti e essenziali, di per sè, non è un male, ma qui sembra rasentare, per la maggior parte dello scritto, l'asettico e il monocorde. Per un'opera incentrata non sulla storia ma sul dialogo, insomma, il rischio è, più che l'asciutto, l'insipido.
Sicuramente (come scritto nel retro di copertina) le relazioni e i sentimenti dei personaggi si intuiscono facilmente dalle sole battute: tuttavia, è un elemento essenziale nel teatro.
Andrebbe, naturalmente, visto rappresentato.
Lo scritto, invece, è chiaramente un primo lavoro, con un paio di battute riuscite. Per il resto, però, sembra sottotono (o io non ho capito l'intento): la riduzione del dialogo a scambi asciutti e essenziali, di per sè, non è un male, ma qui sembra rasentare, per la maggior parte dello scritto, l'asettico e il monocorde. Per un'opera incentrata non sulla storia ma sul dialogo, insomma, il rischio è, più che l'asciutto, l'insipido.
Sicuramente (come scritto nel retro di copertina) le relazioni e i sentimenti dei personaggi si intuiscono facilmente dalle sole battute: tuttavia, è un elemento essenziale nel teatro.
Andrebbe, naturalmente, visto rappresentato.
April 20, 2021
Les points positifs :
- La tension entre les personnages donne envie de continuer la lecture, pour savoir si la situation va finir par dégénérer (ou non).
- Quelques passages intéressants sur les amours déçues des personnages.
- Lecture rapide, pièce d'une écriture simple qui se lit sans difficulté.
Les points négatifs :
- Les chamailleries entre les personnages au sujet du café, de la soupe, des chaises, m'ont vite lassée.
- Peu d'émotions (si ce n'est de la mesquinerie) de la part des personnages masculins, alors qu'ils viennent d'enterrer leur père/frère.
- La tirade finale sur ce que c'est qu'écrire m'a laissée perplexe.
- La tension entre les personnages donne envie de continuer la lecture, pour savoir si la situation va finir par dégénérer (ou non).
- Quelques passages intéressants sur les amours déçues des personnages.
- Lecture rapide, pièce d'une écriture simple qui se lit sans difficulté.
Les points négatifs :
- Les chamailleries entre les personnages au sujet du café, de la soupe, des chaises, m'ont vite lassée.
- Peu d'émotions (si ce n'est de la mesquinerie) de la part des personnages masculins, alors qu'ils viennent d'enterrer leur père/frère.
- La tirade finale sur ce que c'est qu'écrire m'a laissée perplexe.
February 6, 2020
Une certaine pudeur poétique mais j’avoue qu’à la simple lecture, la pièce ne m’a pas du tout touchée : le parcours moral des personnages m’a laissé pratiquement indifférente. Sans doute serait-ce différent si j’avais vu la pièce au lieu de la lire car l’ambiance toute de retenue et de réticences à exprimer directement ses sentiments doit être bien plus percutante sur la scène. Peut-être aussi a joué le fait qu’il s’agit dans cette pièce de quadragénaires et sexagénaires qui ont perdu un parent et qu’ayant une vingtaine d’années et des parents bien vivants, je me suis assez peu sentie concernée
June 14, 2023
2,5 ⭐
Not my cup of tea.
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Si tratta di una piece teatrale che ha pure vinto dei premi. Questo è indicativo di quanto ognuno abbia i suoi gusti.
Come si può intuire dal titolo, la piece riunisce il tragico e il comico, il serio e il frivolo, la morte e l’amore, la parola e il silenzio.
Le parole che si prestano a descrivere questa dicotomia possono deridere come possono essere assolute, ma alla fine sono sempre qualcosa che arriva a seguito del giorno del funerale, e quindi sono ciò che si scontra con il dolore, mettendo a fuoco tutta la banalità che accerchia la sofferenza e la tragedia.
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Interessante, capisco l'entusiasmo, ma non fa per me.
Not my cup of tea.
-
Si tratta di una piece teatrale che ha pure vinto dei premi. Questo è indicativo di quanto ognuno abbia i suoi gusti.
Come si può intuire dal titolo, la piece riunisce il tragico e il comico, il serio e il frivolo, la morte e l’amore, la parola e il silenzio.
Le parole che si prestano a descrivere questa dicotomia possono deridere come possono essere assolute, ma alla fine sono sempre qualcosa che arriva a seguito del giorno del funerale, e quindi sono ciò che si scontra con il dolore, mettendo a fuoco tutta la banalità che accerchia la sofferenza e la tragedia.
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Interessante, capisco l'entusiasmo, ma non fa per me.
September 6, 2025
Letto [4]
Cosa succede quando una persona se ne va? Il mondo va avanti come prima e quelli che erano problemi rimangono ancora tali.
Questa breve testo ambientato in quella che io definisco un’uggiosa giornata, mette in luce i momenti e i pensieri che assillano chiunque si trovi ad affrontare un lutto.
È una condizione universale? No, è un momento estremamente personale
Cosa succede quando una persona se ne va? Il mondo va avanti come prima e quelli che erano problemi rimangono ancora tali.
Questa breve testo ambientato in quella che io definisco un’uggiosa giornata, mette in luce i momenti e i pensieri che assillano chiunque si trovi ad affrontare un lutto.
È una condizione universale? No, è un momento estremamente personale
June 20, 2016
Yasmina Reza's writing has always fascinated me ever since I saw, and later read, Art. In Conversations, she shows again her wit as a writer and her ability to create wonderful characters that develop and reveal themselves as the story evolves. I'd love to see it on stage sometime.
January 26, 2012
Oh, Yasmina Reza, I love you so! All her plays are so clever. I'm saving Life x 3 because I'm too convinced this woman can do no wrong.
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