Release date is 2024-03-19

Laurent Vogel (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries)

"L'essayeuse : pièce en un acte" by Pierre Veber is a one-act play written in the early 20th century. The play explores themes of love, fidelity, and marital trust through a comedic lens, focusing on the dynamics of a young married couple and a divorced friend. It showcases the social context of that time period, marked by shifting attitudes towards relationships and the roles of women in society. The story unfolds in a salon in the countryside, where René and his wife Lise are enjoying a quiet life after six months of solitude together. Their peace is disrupted when Lise invites her friend, Germaine, a newly divorced woman, to visit. Lise, plagued by insecurities about her husband's fidelity, concocts a plan to have Germaine test René’s loyalty by flirting with him. Despite the humorous exchanges and underlying tension, René successfully resists Germaine's advances, leading Lise to feel relieved and reaffirmed in her love for him. Ultimately, the play examines the complexities of trust within marriage and the lengths to which one might go to ensure their happiness, all while maintaining an engaging and light-hearted narrative. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Originally published: Paris: Georges Ondet, 1922