Bliss
Bliss by Olivier Choiniére, published by Theatre Communications Group in September 2008, is a 64-page work presented in English. This piece invites readers into the world of a Wal-Mart break room, where a cashier and her colleagues engage with celebrity gossip magazines, sparking questions about the lives of public figures and their connection to ordinary individuals. The narrative takes a turn when an Oracle intervenes, adding a layer of fantasy to the exploration of society’s fascination with the private lives of others.
In this thought-provoking work, Choiniére delves into themes of celebrity culture and the impact of vicarious living. The story juxtaposes the glamorous lives of celebrities with the mundane realities of the workers, prompting reflections on identity and public perception. This edition, translated by Caryl Churchill, captures the essence of Choiniére’s original vision while inviting readers to consider the implications of their own engagement with the lives of others.
Official synopsis Publisher
Welcome to Wal-Mart. On their break, a cashier and her fellow workers flick through celebrity gossip magazines.
‘See you Later, Celine,’ says a headline. What’s wrong with Celine? Why is she turning her back on her glamorous public life, her adoring fans? And how is her story connected to the story of an unknown woman on the facing page? It’s not. Until the Oracle intervenes.
This wild and slippery fantasy from French-Canadian writer Olivier Choinière explores our insatiable appetite for private lives made public. In a new translation by Caryl Churchill, Bliss is “a clever, disturbing piece about the damage done by vicarious living” (Financial Times).
Oliver Choinière founded the L’ACTIVITÉ Theatre Company in 2000 for which he has written and directed extensively. His French-language translations of English plays include Les Points Tournants (Passing Places) by Stephen Greenhorn and Road by Jim Cartwright.
Caryl Churchill has written for the stage, television and radio. A renowned and prolific playwright, her plays include Cloud Nine, Top Girls, Far Away, Drunk Enough to Say I Love You?, Bliss, Love and Information, Mad Forest and A Number. In 2002, she received the Obie Lifetime Achievement Award and 2010, she was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame.
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