Contre toi

Alice admires Dan, and Dan is enthralled by the young, mysterious Alice, who even inspires his first novel. Then, one day, Dan finds himself in front of the lens of internationally renowned photographer Anna. The attraction is mutual, like a bolt of lightning. But Anna is being courted by Larry, a pragmatic, ambitious doctor; and Alice is not about to be pushed out of the picture. Thus begins a game of power and desire, on a foundation of ambition and betrayal. Four lives intertwine in a sensuous, toxic ballet in which, prisoners of their impulses, the protagonists stalk each other, blending passion and possession, blurring creation, inspiration, and exploitation. No one will emerge unscathed.

Sex, truth, art, and power form the pillars of this play by Patrick Marber, an important, award-winning work by the English playwright, brought to the Hollywood big screen in 2004 as Closer. In this Québec version by Fanny Britt, director Solène Paré turns the character of Dan into a woman, offering a more complex, nuanced reading of gender rivalry. She liberally adapts the tortured waltz of this destructive lovers’ quadrangle and infuses the play with a mega dose of sensuality and cruelty. A look at love and the modern couple, Contre toi reveals the devastating potential of carnal desire and jealousy. A fierce piece of entertainment.

“There is a shift in the characters’ feelings during the play. They talk about love, but they seem motivated by pride and possessive desire. This is what interests me in the play and in life; capitalism hijacks the meaning of words, making love a battle to be won.”

— Solène Paré