History of Violence

One of the world’s most provocative and influential directors, Thomas Ostermeier (Qui a tué mon père [Who killed my father], 2024 and Richard III, 2017) returns to Adelaide Festival with a searing production of Édouard Louis’ autobiographical novel.

At 4am in the Place de la République in Paris, while returning home from a Christmas dinner, Édouard meets Reda, a charming and seductive stranger in the street. They get talking, start to flirt and soon Édouard is taking him back to his apartment.

Through the fractured recall of Édouard, his sister, the police and doctors, History of Violence reconstructs this desire-filled encounter, turned violent.

A layered retelling that is both devastating and funny, History of Violence explores race, queerness and rage unbridled, until all that remains is a nuanced, closely guarded memory.