Sorry. You’re telling me that … this whole story you’ve just told me is about Michel?
Alice Yes.
Paul Michel?
Pause. He still can’t believe it.
Wait a minute, wait a minute … When you say ‘Michel’, you mean my Michel?
Pause. He suddenly bursts out laughing.
Alice What? What’s so funny? Why are you laughing?
Paul No, I’m sorry. Oh, my God! I was so scared, darling.
Alice What are you talking about?
Paul If you knew, darling … If you knew how scared I was.
He embraces her.
Alice I’m delighted you’re taking it like this.
Paul You almost had me, you know?
Alice Did I?
Paul Yes. I’ve spent a horrendous day. I imagined every single possibility. It was ghastly. I even imagined you’d slept with old Hervon! Can you imagine? I was going crazy. Old Hervon! Oh, darling …
He looks at her, his expression intense, and strokes her cheek.
I adore you.
Alice Why are you looking at me like that?
Paul I’m thinking you must really be angry with me to make up something like this. Michel? My best friend? I can just imagine it! You and Michel! My God …
Alice What?
Paul I did suspect you might have made all this up to get back at me, but I never imagined you could be this cruel …
Alice It’s true, Paul.
Paul (not believing her) Course it is.
Alice I’m telling you it’s true!
Paul (thinking he’ll catch her out) Oh, yes? I thought you caught him yesterday in the arms of another woman? Didn’t you?
Pause. He’s pleased with himself.
Now you don’t know what to say …
Alice I …
Paul (interrupting her) I see, of course! Now you’re going to tell me it was only a pretext to cancel the dinner, that you never did see him in the arms of another woman … Is that it? That you made it all up … Tell me, do you really take me for an idiot or what?
Alice Not at all.
Paul So?
She doesn’t immediately answer. He smiles.
I’m cleverer than I look, you know.
Alice It is true. I did in fact see him kissing a woman in the street.
Paul (thinking he’s scored a point) Ah!
He believes his reasoning is untouchable.
Alice That’s exactly why I reacted the way I did.
Brief pause. He frowns.
It’s not even three weeks since we stopped seeing each other. I know it was my decision. But that doesn’t alter the fact that … Less than three weeks, can you imagine? What a bastard!
Paul What?
Alice I was disgusted. Do you understand? And then that he accepted to come here … I didn’t think he’d go that far. To come to my flat. To make protestations of love to his wife, in front of me, with the sole intention of provoking me …
Paul I don’t believe you.
Alice It drove me crazy.
Paul That’s why you got up and left so brutally?
Alice When I went to the kitchen, he rushed to come with me. He tried to kiss me. But I told him I’d seen him with another woman … Naturally, he pretended I’d made a mistake, that I’d mixed him up with someone else, that there was no one else in his life, that he still loved me …
Paul You’re lying, Alice.
Alice But I knew it was him. I passed right by him in the taxi. I couldn’t have made a mistake. I recognised him! What does he think I am, an idiot?
Paul But …
Alice But he went on lying. And when I told him that anyway, whether it was him or not, it made no difference to my decision, that I couldn’t go on the way we were, because of you, that the guilt was too powerful, he rolled his eyes, as if …
Paul As if what?
Alice As if I was deluding myself about you. As if I was naive to imagine you were faithful to me and I had no reason to feel guilty.
Brief pause.
That’s why I asked you all those questions after dinner. To find out if he’d done that to get his own back. Or if in fact you’d cheated on me as well.
Pause.
Paul Are you taking the piss?
Pause.
Alice? Just reassure me, you made up this story last night to get back at me?
Pause.
Don’t tell me it’s true …
Pause.
Alice, is it true? You’re telling the truth? About Michel?
Pause.
I mean, it’s appalling! Do you realise? It’s horrible!
Alice You cheated on me as well! Didn’t you?
Paul But that’s nothing to do with it! I mean, do you realise what you’ve just told me?
Paul seems completely undone. He bursts into tears.
Alice (who wasn’t at all expecting this reaction) Paul, what’s the matter with you?
Paul I just can’t get my head around it.
Alice Don’t, Paul …
Paul (through his tears) I could never have believed …
Not wanting to weep in front of Alice, Paul turns on his heel and makes a dash for the bedroom. He closes the door behind him.
Alice Paul, what are you doing? Where are you going? Paul? Open the door … Paul? Darling? Don’t tell me you believed me? Paul? I was joking. Paul? How stupid are you?
She starts laughing. We start to believe she’s been playing a part up to now and that in fact this story about Michel is unlikely. She’s convincing.
Can you imagine me sleeping with Michel? You know very well what I think about him. And Laurence is my best friend. Listen, darling, think for two minutes, I was just saying it to … How could you believe it was true for one second?
Pause. The door opens.
Paul You haven’t slept with Michel?
Alice (as if it were self-evident) Of course not.
Paul Do you swear it?
Alice On your head.
Paul But your story … this affair …
Alice I made it all up. Really, Paul … Do you believe everything you’re told?
Paul Do you realise how cruel this was? Why did you do it?
Alice Because you spent all evening singing the praises of lying. And all morning lying to me.
Paul I didn’t lie to you, Alice. How many times do I have to tell you?
Alice This girl …
Paul There never was a girl!
Alice starts laughing. She still doesn’t believe him.
I’m telling you, there never was a girl! I didn’t spend the night with her. I swear to you. How many more times do I have to say it?
Alice Is that the truth?
Paul The truth is, I love you. And that I would never cheat on you. Never. You have to believe me.
Brief pause.
You have to believe me, if you want me to believe you …
Alice I believe you.
Paul Is that true?
Alice Of course. Since you tell me. I understand now that you made up this whole story to … Why did you, exactly?
Paul To make you jealous.
Alice That’s it.
Paul And also to show you …
Alice Yes, yes. That’s right.
Paul And to demonstrate that certain kinds of discussion lead directly to fisticuffs.
Alice Of course, darling. Of course I believe you.
Paul That’s good.
Alice But you do too?
Paul I do what?
Alice Believe me?
Paul Yes. Shouldn’t I?
Alice Yes. You have to believe me.
Paul Yes. Of course I believe you. Of course.
They look at each other as if they’ve finally rediscovered one another; and they’re smiling at each other.
Alice You see how much simpler things are when you tell each other the truth.
Paul Yes, you’re right.
Alice You shouldn’t ever have to make
up stories like that …
Paul No. It’s idiotic. The last thing I want is to be like those couples … You know, those couples who have to lie to one another …
Alice (disgusted expression) Oh … no.
Paul Who never discuss things as they really are. That’d be too depressing.
Alice Yes. No. That’s not us.
Paul Not us, no. We deserve better than that.
Alice Yes. Everything’s infinitely simpler when you tell each other the truth.
Paul Yes. What proves it …
They’re trying to convince one another.
Because love is something pure.
Alice Absolutely.
Paul To love someone is to be true. It’s to have nothing to hide.
Alice Exactly. It’s to be able to tell each other the truth.
Paul Yes. The whole truth.
Alice And nothing but the truth.
They embrace. They’re very close now, their intimacy rediscovered.
Paul Ha, it feels like waking out of a long nightmare.
Alice Same for me.
Paul How about a little glass of something to recover from all this emotion?
Alice Good idea …
He goes to fetch a bottle and two glasses.
Paul Oh, my God … What a day …
Alice laughs.
What? What is it?
Alice Nothing. I was thinking of your face when I told you I was sleeping with Michel. How could you have believed something like that?
Paul I don’t know … That story about the kitchen … It had a kind of … Then, it only takes a minute before you stop being able to tell the difference between what’s true and what isn’t …
He pours a glass and gives it to her.
Even so, there was one detail that helped me understand it wasn’t true, your story about Michel.
Alice Oh, yes?
Paul Yes. A detail which cast a shadow over its credibility.
Alice Really? What was that?
Paul You want to know?
Alice I’m all ears.
He pours himself a glass.
Paul When you told me that, yesterday evening, in the kitchen, Michel implied you’d be wrong to feel guilty about me, because supposedly I wasn’t faithful to you …
Alice So? What’s not believable about that?
Paul He wouldn’t have been able to say something like that to you.
Alice Wouldn’t he?
Paul No. You know why? Because I never confided in him. By the way, he even complained about it just now …
Alice Mm, it’s good, this wine.
Paul And do you know why I never mentioned that girl to him, the one last summer? The one in Antibes …
Alice (still smiling) Stop it …
Paul I could have talked about her to any other friend. But to him specifically, it was impossible. And do you know why? Out of ‘tact’ …
Alice laughs. Paul starts laughing also.
What?
Alice Darling, what exactly are you trying to make me believe?
Paul Nothing.
Alice That the girl you never had an affair with was Laurence? Is that it? Is that what you’re trying to tell me?
Paul is being enigmatic; he doesn’t answer.
I appreciate your attempts at revenge, darling.
Paul Really?
Alice Yes. I take your trying to be cruel as a token of your affection.
Paul That’s nice of you.
Alice But we made a pact, the two of us …
Paul A pact? Did we?
Alice We said we’d tell each other nothing but the truth.
Paul starts laughing.
Paul Yes, it’s true.
Alice So stop with your stories … Do you mind?
Paul I will stop, sorry.
Alice And anyway, you’ll never succeed in making me believe something like that.
Paul Won’t I?
Alice No, never.
Paul Then you’re right, let’s talk about something else …
Alice Yes.
Brief pause.
Paul So? Here’s to you?
Alice To us, darling.
They clink glasses, smiling at each other. Pause. But suddenly Alice’s expression darkens – as if a doubt had overtaken her – while Paul is glowing from this little silent victory.
Blackout.
Lights up.
The actors take their curtain call. It seems to be the end of the performance. But after a few bows, the curtain goes up on a lit set: the four actors have taken their places for the Epilogue.
Seven
Epilogue
Paul, Alice, Michel and Laurence. It’s a repeat, but this time the words sound different and seem to carry another meaning.
Laurence I’d never do that.
Alice Why?
Laurence I don’t know. You’re my friends. I wouldn’t want to cause a row between you.
Paul In any case, it’s not something that will ever happen. So let’s change the subject.
Laurence You never know.
Paul Of course you do. You want me to tell you why? Because, even if sometimes she can be really irritating, I’m completely crazy about my wife.
Michel Me too.
Brief pause.
I mean about mine, obviously.
Paul and Laurence laugh. Pause.
The basic problem, Alice, is that whatever they may claim, people don’t really want to be told the truth.
Alice Is that what you think?
Michel I know from experience. When I started out, you can’t imagine how many writers I infuriated because I made the mistake of telling them honestly what I thought of their manuscripts … In the end, every one of them resented me. And I’m prepared to bet this friend of yours, the one you were telling us about, would wind up holding it against you, if you told her what you saw.
Alice So lying’s the only answer?
Michel Let’s say, keeping your secrets.
Alice (coldly) Right. I’m going to check the dinner.
She gets up abruptly.
Paul No, don’t worry, I’ll do it.
Alice No, no. That’s all right.
She goes out. At this point, the wall separating the living room from the kitchen becomes semi-transparent. Alice’s silhouette can be seen.
Michel What’s the matter with her?
Paul I don’t know.
Michel Did I say something?
Paul No, no, I don’t think so. She’s just gone to check the dinner, you know, the what-d’you-call-it, the rabbit.
Laurence I’ll go and see if she needs a hand.
Paul No! No, not you.
Laurence What?
Michel All right. I’ll go. I somehow think it’d be better if I go … Don’t you think?
Paul Yes. Maybe.
Michel Let me try and put things right … But do you think it’s to do with what I just said?
Paul No. I don’t think so.
Michel Fine. I’ll go and see. I’ll be back.
He goes out to join Alice in the kitchen. An inaudible conversation, apparently tempestuous, then begins between them – an argument which clearly belongs in the category of amorous conflict.
Laurence What’s the matter with her?
Paul She’s a bit stressed because of her meeting tomorrow.
Laurence No, seriously … Is something going on?
Pause.
What’s going on?
Pause. Laurence and Paul start whispering, through to the end of the scene.
You think she suspects?
Paul No, no.
He takes her hand.
Laurence Stop it.
Paul What?
Laurence Not here.
Paul I can’t wait, if you only knew.
Laurence Me too …
Paul Quiberon. I adore that place …
Laurence I hope the weather’ll be as good as it was in Antibes …
Paul sm
iles suggestively.
What did you tell Alice?
Paul I told her I was going to Amiens to meet some clients.
Laurence No!
Paul Yes.
Laurence She believes you?
Paul Why shouldn’t she believe me? I never lie to her.
Laurence Liar.
He smiles. Then kisses her. In the kitchen, Alice repels Michel. She could go so far as to slap him. The two images overlap.
(While she’s kissing him.) Stop it.
Paul What?
Laurence I’m embarrassed. They’re right there.
Paul So?
Laurence It’s not right.
Paul I suppose not. Sorry.
Pause.
What are they doing?
Laurence I don’t know. You want me to go and see?
Paul Shh, they’re coming back.
They spring apart from one another.
You know, just now, when I told you you looked magnificent in that dress, I was telling the truth.
Laurence The what?
Paul The truth.
Laurence (shrugging her shoulders) Never heard of it.
He smiles. Alice returns. Followed by Michel. Paul gets up. Alice adjusts her dress. A pause full of invisible tensions. Then everybody smiles, as if nothing has happened. Blackout.
Alternatively: a final line from Alice, if it seems necessary to round off the situation.
Alice Right, well, I think we know where we’re sitting!
About the Author
Florian Zeller is a French novelist and playwright. He won the prestigious Prix Interallié in 2004 for his third novel, Fascination of Evil. His plays include L’Autre, Le Manège, Si tu mourais, Elle t’attend and La Vérité. La Mère (The Mother, Molière Award for Best Play in 2011) and Le Père (The Father, Molière Award for Best Play in 2014), starring Robert Hirsch and Isabelle Gelinas (Molière Awards for Best Actor and Actress, Prix du Brigadier in 2015). Une Heure de tranquillité (A Bit of Peace and Quiet) opened with Fabrice Luchini, and has since been adapted for the screen, directed by Patrice Leconte. Le Mensonge (The Lie) was staged in 2015 and L’Envers du décor opened in January 2016 at the Théâtre de Paris, starring Daniel Auteuil, and Avant de s'envoler (Before it Flies Away) at the Théâtre de l’Oeuvre in October 2016, starring Robert Hirsch and Isabelle Sadoyan, directed by Ladislas Chollat.
The Lie Page 6
