Les Belles-Soeurs is a two-act play by Canadian writer Michael Tremblay. Written in a naturalistic style, the story follows one night in the home of Germaine Lauzon, a housewife who is hosting a small get-together. The course of the evening reveals a great deal about the women in her home while framing various flashpoints in the community.
The play begins with Germaine bickering with her daughter Linda. She says she is having people over to help her put stamps in booklets, as she has just won a number of them in a local contest. Linda leaves to spend time with her boyfriend, while Germaine's guests arrive. Her guests include her sister Rose and friends Lisette, Marie-Ange, and Thérèse, among others. They talk for a long time about various things including marriage, children, money, and caring for their elderly relatives. Many of the characters get individual monologues, under a spotlight, in which they share inner thoughts about their frustrations and desires. All the while, people also begin taking stamps from Germaine, thinking she will not notice their stealing. Linda later reappears and has a loud argument with her mother about her going out. In the second part of the play, Germaine's other sister, Pierrette, appears. Her arrival sparks conflict and consternation among the women, as she works at a club and is considered to be of ill repute. They are then further scandalized to learn that their friend Angéline has been frequenting the club where she works. They make Angéline repent for her actions. Tired of their judgmental behavior, Pierrette decides to leave. The play ends with Germaine realizing that everyone has been stealing her stamps. She angrily rebukes them for their theft.
Written in 1965, the play was first performed at the Théâtre du Rideau Vert on August 28, 1968, and directed by André Brassard. It featured Denise Proulx, Odette Gagnon, Denise Filiatrault, Rita Lafontaine, Luce Guilbeault, Germaine Giroux and Nicole Leblanc. It was hailed as a landmark work of Quebecois theater, with a resounding impact on the culture. It has since been translated into over thirty different languages and performed all over the world.
