Isabelle Huppert Reads Sade – Juliette and Justine, the Vice and the Virtue

In this solo performance Isabelle Huppert masterfully brings to life the fictional characters of Justine and Juliette, emblematic figures from the work of the prolific French novelist, philosopher, politician and libertine Marquis de Sade (1740-1814). Justine and Juliette, sisters with opposite destinies, were introduced to the post-French Revolution public via two of Sade’s many notorious novels: ‘Nouvelle Justine’ (1791) is about a virtuous young woman whose moral lifestyle ultimately leads to misery, despair and abuse; ‘Juliette’ (c1801) is about her amoral sister Juliette, whose passion for a louche way of life makes her Justine’s polar opposite. Both novels are packed with scandalous detail and philosophical debate ranging across sex, society, religion, morality and many other ideas that fuelled Sade’s already shocking reputation. On stage the fabulous Huppert – whose stellar career spans over 100 films and dozens of awards including the 2017 Golden Globe for ‘Elle’ – alternates between the two sisters bringing the world of Sade viscerally to the present in this solo performance performed in French with English surtitles.