Bérénice

About

Flemish director Guy Cassiers brings a highly innovative and visually modern approach to Jean Racine’s classic text. The production contrasts the poetic, chiseled beauty of Racine’s language with the spontaneous emotions of the main characters. Cassiers envisions the setting as constantly evolving, mirroring the psychological states of the characters through projected images that use mapping and artificial intelligence. The staging puts the alexandrine verse at the center while leveraging Cassiers’ mastery of image technologies. Beginning from an apparently realistic design, the set fluidly transforms to reflect the protagonists’ inner conflicts. This dynamic environment highlights the tension between political responsibility and intimate desire. The result is a lucid yet sensorial reading of Racine that amplifies the play’s tragic stakes.