Resenhas -

IuriManzini 22/01/2022

I read the second one first (just like the plays are ???)
?The Mother? is the first play of a trilogy made by Florian Zeller, which tells the story of The Mother, also known as Anne, and The Father, called Pierre. The play follows the characters after their two children Sarah and Nicolas (The Son) have left their house to live their lives. Zeller plays with the idea of time and perspective in this show, making the audience question how much of the play is truly happening in how much is just in The Mother?s head.
I must admit that I only discovered this play after reading ?The Father? (the second play of the trilogy), so when I read the names of the characters in ?The Mother?, I thought we were going to see what happened with Anne after leaving her father to go to London. But apparently the stories are not related to each other. Of course they are similar in the stories: both parents that depend on their child and are dealing with some sort of mental illness (even though Andre doesn?t feel like he does and The Mother wants to depend of The Son.)
I realized it were two different stories when The Mother said they met when she was 22 year old but in ?The Father? Anne had been married with Antonie for over 10 years, before she met Pierre. But again, she might say they met at 22 year old and be wrong, because she is already confusing and, like I said, not the most trustful narrator (Although I don?t believe that?s the case, because Pierre doesn?t correct her.)
I really liked the play, but I think ?The Father? is such a new and creative way to tell that story that in here it doesn?t look that strong, not because it isn?t, but because nothing comes close to ?The Father?. For instance, ?The Father? makes us think we are getting crazy with André, because we follow his mind. In ?The Mother?, at some points we are following The Mother?s mind, but in the beginning we watch through The Father?s eyes, so we can see The Mother forgetting things, and creating a narrative in her mind. In ?The Father? André doesn?t invent anything, because we understand his mind, not the one looking?s mind.
Over all, I believe it is a good play, but its greatness gets drown away by ?The Father?. I do say that it feels like ?The Mother? is a very successful experiment, but it is not yet the final result, which we only see in the second play of the trilogy, that would never exist without the achieves (and mistakes) from ?The Mother?. I have to say, seeing how good both plays are, but how it evolved, makes me exited to read ?The Son?, the final play of the trilogy.

?No one will care about you. You?ll suffer a lot and everything will be as it was. Be calm? It?ll be very painful, you?ll have so much suffering. Shh? It?s all going to be fine. You?ll grow old on your own. Unhappy and alone.?