Voyage Voyage: A Theatrical Critique of Tourism and Social Status
Gabrielle Chapdelaine adapts Goldoni to explore modern debt, status, and social media illusions.
1Modernizing Goldoni's Classic Satire
Playwright Gabrielle Chapdelaine brings Carlo Goldoni’s 1761 work, The Holiday Trilogy, to the stage in a new production titled Voyage voyage. Directed by Louis-Karl Tremblay at the Théâtre Denise-Pelletier, the play updates the original narrative to examine contemporary social pressures. It highlights how individuals often prioritize travel to maintain perceived social status.
2The Financial Burden of Appearances
The protagonist, played by Didier Lucien, is a struggling real estate agent on the brink of bankruptcy. Despite warnings from his accountant, he insists on renting a villa on the Adriatic coast. He invites family and acquaintances, desperate to project success and secure his social standing among wealthier peers in his circle.
3Tourism as a Social Necessity
Chapdelaine argues that modern society views travel as an entitlement, even when personal finances cannot support it. The play explores the psychological drive to keep up with friends who have more disposable income. This cycle often leads to exhaustion, as people work excessively to fund vacations they feel socially obligated to take.
4Deconstructing Modern Archetypes
The adaptation replaces 18th-century archetypes with contemporary figures, such as the performative male who signals progressive values while behaving poorly. Another character, Florent, represents the ambiguity of modern wealth. Unlike the ostentatious financiers of the past, today’s wealthy individuals often dress casually, making it difficult for others to gauge their actual financial status.
5Social Media and Curated Realities
The production features scenes where characters constantly photograph themselves to project happiness. These moments underscore the disconnect between authentic human experience and the curated images shared on social media. By focusing on the polished facade, the characters attempt to validate their worth, ignoring the underlying reality of their financial and personal struggles.
6The Abstract Nature of Debt
For the protagonist, debt has become so normalized that it feels abstract rather than concrete. He believes a single successful deal will resolve his financial instability, reflecting a broader societal illusion. Chapdelaine suggests that we are conditioned to believe in the possibility of sudden wealth, despite statistical trends indicating increased economic vulnerability.
7Avoiding Moralizing Narratives
While the play offers a satirical look at middle-class behavior, Chapdelaine intentionally avoids a moralizing tone. She acknowledges the environmental impact of tourism and the complexity of personal motivations, such as visiting family abroad. The goal is to reveal the blind spots in our relationship with money without judging individual choices.
8The Centrality of Money
This production marks the playwright's second adaptation of an older work focused on money, following her 2023 staging of Balzac’s The Dealer. Chapdelaine views money as a constructed force that governs human existence while remaining outside the core of human experience. The play invites audiences to reflect on these hidden financial pressures.
Original article: Le Devoir — Voyage Voyage: A Theatrical Critique of Tourism and Social Status