Baleine

She really needs to go to the bathroom, but the turbulence means she can’t. Marie is at the end of her rope, heartbroken and possibly about to shit her pants in public, 10,000 metres in the air. Then comes the diagnosis: ulcerative colitis. Crap. But she’s not going to let herself be defined by her illness. Ever on the brink of losing control of her bowels, Marie muddles along, on a diet of self-deprecation, dubious one-night stands and randomly dosed edibles. Absorbed in her own chaos, she neglects her loyal, anxious roommate, her hopelessly patient colleague who’s in love with her and her big-hearted, albeit odd, neighbour. But an idea gradually dawns on her: healing takes a village. 

Baleine is the debut play by Stéphanie Arav. This goofy yet poetic, visceral and tender dramedy explores love and physical and mental health with poop jokes as cover, and the damage we do to ourselves and others when we’re sick. Presented in the early evening as a 5 à 7 performance, this feel bad/feel good play will make you laugh, wince and empathize. Directed by Anna Sanchez, the play implicitly destigmatizes women and their bodily functions with a disarmingly obvious idea: everyone shits. It’s not glamourous, but it’s universal. A raw, funny and surprisingly comforting show.