‘It’s only the end of the world’ (originally ‘Juste la fin du monde’) is an autobiographical play written in 1990 by French actor, director, and playwright Jean-Luc Lagarce. Now being performed at HaDivadlo in a Czech version with English subtitles, under the direction of Ivan Buraj, this production invites audiences into a tense family reunion.
The story follows Louis, a 34 year-old playwright who returns home after years of absence to confront his family with a heartbreaking truth: he has only a few months left to live. The reunion, however, is anything but warm. Tension hangs in the air, turning into a series of bitter, uncomfortable exchanges as the distance between the family members feels palpable. Though bound by blood, there is a stronger sense of alienation, as if they have all become strangers to each other over time.
The play revolves around five characters, each offering a different perspective on the situation: an elderly mother, confused by her son’s sudden return; Louis’s brother, Antoine, who has always struggled to understand his sibling’s departure (and now also his reappearance); his young sister, Suzanne, who never really knew him and has spent years idealising him; and Catherine, Louis’s sister in law, who meets him for the first time under these strange circumstances. The cast includes Radim Chyba as Louis, Magdalena Kuntová as Suzanne, Jáchym Sůra as Antoine, Sara Venclovská as Catherine and Marie Ludvíková as the mother.
The drama evolves over an uncertain period of time, but at least one Sunday – the quintessential day for rekindling family memories – anchors the narrative, and the family home is the only setting. Awkward silences, tense arguments, one-sided conversations and intimate glimpses into the minds of the characters weave together in a 110-minute production that powerfully portrays the fragile, often painful misunderstandings that can arise when a family member decides to move away.
The audience is Louis’ only confidant, accompanying him as he struggles, mostly in vain, to reveal the true reason for his return home. Well-known family dynamics that elicit smiles give way to touching moments and a constantly growing tension as the play unfolds.
Returning to the stage at HaDivadlo on 12 May, this production offers a deep dive into the complexities of a traditional family, while also confronting, with a subtle sense of guilt, the consequences of choosing a different life and keeping loved ones behind, leaving the audience with a lingering feel of nostalgia and perhaps an urge to reach out to those they’ve left at home.
