Theatre Young presents two compelling drama productions this April, and tickets are now on sale.

1. Les Bonnes

In 1933, Christine Papin and Lea Papin, two live-in maids from Le Mans, France, brutally murdered their employer's wife and her daughter, a crime that shocked the public and sparked widespread debate. Drawing on this harrowing true story, French playwright Jean Genet, one of the 20th century's most provocative avant-garde dramatists, created Les Bonnes. Since its Paris premiere in 1947, the work has been staged worldwide for more than 70 years.

This touring production, presented by Real Atypical Omnipotent and directed by Shao Sifan, features an all-male cast. The gender reversal introduces a deliberate sense of dislocation, inviting audiences to confront the darkness of human nature and seek deeper truths beneath the surface.

The drama follows two ambitious maids and a poisoning not meticulously plotted. Set against a backdrop of economic hardship and social unrest, the play unfolds as a tense, psychologically charged exploration of identity, desire, and the fracturing of the human psyche.

2. Artificial by Nature

Directed by Yannick Noomen and created by Annelinde Bruijs, Artificial by Nature draws inspiration from the ideas of German philosopher Helmuth Plessner, who argued that humans are "naturally artificial beings". Unlike animals, Plessner suggested, humans must create "artificialities" such as language, tools, technology, and art to define who they are.

Minimalist and conceptual in design, the stage is turned into a laboratory or observation chamber. Here, Annelinde Bruijs and Yannick Noomen take on the role of two humanoid robots, attempting to answer the fundamental questions: What does it mean to be human? Why do we get up each day? Why do we do the things we do?

The performance presents melodies that seem to stall just as they near resolution. Its lyrics emerge through mechanical repetitions and recombinations of everyday phrases, while the human voice is subtly processed, hovering between natural and electronic tones. Silence and noise are treated with equal expressive weight, creating a soundscape that is both unsettling and contemplative.

If you go

Les Bonnes

• When: April 17 at 7:30 pm; April 18 at 2 pm
• Duration: Approximately 120 minutes, no intermission
• Ticket prices: 180 yuan ($26.24) to 380 yuan

Artificial by Nature

• When: April 18 at 2 pm & 7:30 pm; April 19 at 2 pm & 6 pm
• Duration: 60 minutes, no intermission
• Language: Performed in Dutch with Chinese subtitles
• Ticket price: 220 yuan

Venue: Theatre Young, No 1155 Kongjiang Road, Yangpu district

Ticket purchase: Available through the official ticketing mini program by searching "YOUNG剧场微票务" in WeChat

Source: WeChat account of Theatre Young at "THEATREYOUNG"