Scandal-ridden writer-director Pascal Rambert, who is also head of the Théâtre de Gennevilliers since 2007, presents us here with a play that is almost provocative in its traditionalism. Usually known for a highly contemporary setting, Rambert chooses flamboyant Victorian costumes for his “Argument”. Set during the Paris Commune in the late 19th century, the play tells the story of a fight between an oppressive husband and his increasingly disobedient wife, leading to the tragic death of the latter. While the man (Laurent Poitrenaux) represents backward traditionalism, his wife (Marie-Sophie Ferdane) defends the Commune’s revolutionary energies. „Argument“ is not only a tale of love and jealousy but an attempt to understand the forces that block fundamental change in society – back in the 19th century as well as today.
