“Qui a tué mon père”, directed by Thomas Ostermeier – one of the most acclaimed contemporary theatre directors – is based on a book by the celebrated author Édouard Louis, who himself appears on stage in this production, performing for the first time in an adaptation of his own work. It is the story of the author’s complicated relationship with his father – a violent alcoholic whose homophobic attitudes and outbursts became the cause of a lifetime of trauma. However, the difficult childhood relationship takes on a different dimension later in life, in the face of the father’s illness. Hatred gives way to compassion. The private story becomes the basis for the performance’s creators to analyse the political and social situation in France, reflecting on a system that demands hard work but leaves its ailing victims to fend for themselves. There is also the important theme of the norms that define the behaviour of men and the expectations of them in a masculinised working-class environment.

Édouard Louis is an acclaimed French author (including “History of Violence”, “The End of Eddy”), whose books have been translated into more than thirty languages and have been transferred to the stage many times. He tackles social class, sexuality and systemic violence.

Thomas Ostermeier is an internationally acclaimed director who has been with Berlin’s Schaubühne since 1999. He has won the most important theatrical awards, including the Golden Lion at the 2011 Venice Theatre Biennale, and his productions have been staged all over the world, from Paris to Beijing.

PARTNER OF THE PERFORMANCE: The French Institute in Poland