The life of Héloïse

For the first time in Paris, I went to se a play. I had seen ballet, musicals, concerts, one man show, but so far, no theater.

A co-worker recommended "Entre Ciel et Chair" (Between heaven and flesh). It's the story of Héloïse and Abélard told by Héloïse as she is writing it down when she is old. There is one actress and one cello player on stage.
It takes place at the beginning of the 12 century.


from wikipedia :

"In his writings, Abélard tells the story of his seduction of Héloïse and their subsequent illicit relationship, which they continued until Héloïse bore him a son, whom Héloïse named Astrolabius (Astrolabe). Abélard secretly married Héloïse, but both of them tried to conceal this fact in order not to damage Abélard's career. Fulbert's ensuing violence against Heloise caused Abélard to place her in the convent of Argenteuil.
The accepted view is that Fulbert believed Abélard abandoned Héloïse, and, in his anger, wreaked vengeance upon Abélard by having him attacked while asleep and castrated. An alternative view is that Fulbert divulged the secret of the marriage and her family sought vengeance, ordering the castration of Abélard. After castration, Abélard became a monk.
At the convent in Argenteuil, Héloïse took the habit and eventually became prioress. She and the other nuns were turned out when the convent was taken over by the abbey at which Abélard had first taken his monastic vows. At this point Abélard arranged for them to enter the Oratory of the Paraclete, an abbey he had established, where Héloïse became abbess."

I wasn't sure what to think the first minutes or so of the narration : as an old woman Héloïse calls to Abélard angry and nostalgic, explaining their love and love of god and but then she is young again and the story of her life starts... We are carried through her education, her physical relationship with Abelard, her revolt as a woman, her life in the convent... her many happiness and disappointments. Though the story is old it felt very modern, it's very emotional and the actress manages to feel young or mature when needed.