The Lie

In Florian Zeller's The Lie, a companion piece to his earlier play The Truth, Michel and Laurence are coming for dinner. But Alice has spotted Michel kissing another woman that very afternoon, leaving her with a dilemma. Her husband Paul believes it is better to behave as if nothing has happened; Alice is far from sure. An argument ensues and as their own relationship is held up to scrutiny, the question as to who is being protected and why grows ever more difficult to answer. Translated by Christopher Hampton, The Lie received its English language world premiere at the Menier Chocolate Factory, London, in September 2017.

Florian Zeller is a French novelist and playwright. He won the prestigious Prix Interallié in 2004 for his third novel, Fascination of Evil. His plays include L'Autre, Le Manège, Si tu mourais, nominated for a Globe de Cristal, Elle t'attend and La Vérité. La Mère (The Mother, Molière Award for Best Play in 2011) and Le Père (The Father, Molière Award for Best Play in 2014, starring Robert Hirsch and Isabelle Gelinas (Molière Awards for Best Actor and Actress, Prix du Brigadier in 2015). Une Heure de tranquillité (A Bit of Peace and Quiet), opened with Fabrice Luchini, and has since been adapted for the screen, directed by Patrice Leconte. Le Mensonge (The Lie) was staged in 2015 starring Pierre Arditi and Evelyne Bouix and L'Envers du décor opened in January 2016 at the Théâtre de Paris starring Daniel Auteuil.