Thanatopathy [tanatopati] n.—from the Greek thanatos, death, and pathos, that from which one suffers. This is how Adele named the illness that gnaws at her, an illness that makes her unfit for life. For fifty minutes, she explores every corner of her pathology, with the humor of those beyond despair. Fifty minutes is the average time between two suicides in France.
Written for the actress Anne Steffens, this monologue was directed by Hauke Lanz during its creation in 2009 at the Ménagerie de Verre, as part of the Étrange Cargo Festival.
A radio adaptation, directed by Alexandre Plank the following year, was broadcast on France Culture several times.
Anne Steffens and Chloé Delaume then presented this text in a performative form, notably at FRAC Lorraine in 2011.
