Passion simple is a novel written by Annie Ernaux in 1991 that delves into themes of desire, dependency, and obsession. It recounts the overwhelming passion of an older woman for a young married man, but, above all, it is a story of waiting for him. The protagonist invites us to journey with her into the ineffable depths of memory, transforming a private feeling into something universal and revealing a complex, raw, and fierce femininity. There are no judgments about the passion experienced, nor is there cynicism in recalling the madness.
In our scenic adaptation of the novel, we focused on the concept of dissection: it is, in many ways, the anatomy of a passion rather than just the experience of it. As the author recalls, in the analysis of desire from a clinical perspective, she discovers the gratitude for having experienced it.
We believe that things left unspoken might cease to exist, especially when confronted with an inheritance that often positions sexuality as a source of punishment. This is why it is so important for us to explore desire and dependence in a mature, intelligent woman who, in the process of being obsessed with a man, can lose herself—and find happiness in that loss.
In our scenic adaptation of the novel, we focused on the concept of dissection: it is, in many ways, the anatomy of a passion rather than just the experience of it. As the author recalls, in the analysis of desire from a clinical perspective, she discovers the gratitude for having experienced it.
We believe that things left unspoken might cease to exist, especially when confronted with an inheritance that often positions sexuality as a source of punishment. This is why it is so important for us to explore desire and dependence in a mature, intelligent woman who, in the process of being obsessed with a man, can lose herself—and find happiness in that loss.
Author: Annie Ernaux
Direction & adaptation: Lucia Del Greco
Performer: Cristina Plazas
Set design: Pol Roig
Lighting: Cube.bz
Costume design: Pau Aulí
Movement: Lorena Nogal
Sound design: Pere Jou & Aurora Bauzà
Photography: Monica Lek
A production by Cassandra Projects, Temporada Alta & Teatre Akademia.
Passion simple premiered at the Temporada Alta Festival on October 12, 2024.
Nominated for three 2024 Critics’ Awards: Best Adaptation, Best Small-Scale Production, and Best Lighting.
Winner of two 2024 Critics’ Awards: Best Small-Scale Production and Best Lighting.
Past Performances:
Temporada Alta Festival — October 2024
Teatre Akademia — November 2024
Sala Atrium — June 2025
Direction & adaptation: Lucia Del Greco
Performer: Cristina Plazas
Set design: Pol Roig
Lighting: Cube.bz
Costume design: Pau Aulí
Movement: Lorena Nogal
Sound design: Pere Jou & Aurora Bauzà
Photography: Monica Lek
A production by Cassandra Projects, Temporada Alta & Teatre Akademia.
Passion simple premiered at the Temporada Alta Festival on October 12, 2024.
Nominated for three 2024 Critics’ Awards: Best Adaptation, Best Small-Scale Production, and Best Lighting.
Winner of two 2024 Critics’ Awards: Best Small-Scale Production and Best Lighting.
Past Performances:
