Four millennial plays from the French side of the language divide in Belgium. This anthology captures the tendencies of contemporary European playwright in the beginning of the new millennium, as interracial, intercontinental marriage, the privileges afforded to society's leaders, the resurgence of the Extreme Right, and creative ways of juggling love relationships are presented in a variety of accessible styles. The Magnolia by Jacques de Decker: Marie-Antoinette has two boyfriends, neither of whom knows that the other exists. She's Marie to Adrian, and Antoinette to Julian. This arrangement, though it suits her perfectly, can't last forever. Her vain efforts to keep her novel way of life running according to plan yield great hilarity. Marie-Antoinette finds she'll just have to eat cake. The Sorcerers by Serge Goriely: Luc brings his bride Paula back from Nigeria to live in Brussels. His family, open-minded, urbane, and liberal as they are, cast a spell on her, bringing about her sickness and demise. This shocking drama provides an intimate, unvarnished look at black/white relationships in contemporary Europe subsequent to the colonial era.Patriot's Cafe by Jean-Marie Piemme: A view into the lives of members of the Extreme Right in Wallonia. Forging an innovative, lyrical style, this play reveals the personal motives -- the quest for power, a longing for significance, the need to belong to something larger -- that cause ordinary people to succumb to the lure of totalitarian rhetoric. This Is Not A Real Pipe by Pascal Vrebos: A famous French statesman reminiscent of Dominique Strauss-Kahn finds himself alone with a cleaning lady in his New York hotel room. Various possible scenarios ensue, none of which may be the real "pipe." The gears of class, race and gender disparities grind away in this prismatic comedy-drama of epic proportions -- a signature tale for our times.
