Le Soulier de Satin

Soulier de Satin, Le. Written 1919-24, this play represents a new departure for Claudel, who in it brilliantly uses many of the techniques of unreality both of the modern and of the Japanese theatre. Spread over four ‘journées’ like a medieval mystery play, the action celebrates the mission of the Counter-Reformation. The whole world, and the battle for the faith and against heresy, is its theme. The action involves Spain, Africa, the Americas, Italy, Bohemia, the Far East. At the centre of it all lies the theme of the love of Rodrigue and Prouhèze; mystically, through vicarious suffering, the separation of the lovers counterbalances the sins of the world and creates the conditions for the triumph of Spain's mission. The bewildering confusion of scenes and events illustrates the apparent confusion of God's intentions; but just as the play-wright's ‘machinistes’ such as ‘L'Annoncier’ partly explain what he intends, so the ‘Ange Gardien’ and the dying Jesuit who starts the play help to decipher the intentions of that other playwright, God. Originally considered unperformable, the play was successfully adapted for the stage by Claudel and Barrault, and first performed in 1943; its subsequent stage success has outstripped all Claudel's other plays.

[Richard Griffiths]