They Denounce the Status Quo, its Injunctions, and its Injustices, and Transform their Confession into a Manifesto
A manifesto where the refusal to conform to the dictates of patriarchal societies is clearly affirmed, and where the claim for intimate, social, and sexual freedom, long delayed, is asserted.
The Play
The Press — Rym (Annick C. Keipo), Olivera (Evelyne Ily), and Tina (Eve Guehi) are three friends who were separated by life after high school. Twenty-two years later, they reunite in a cozy setting, determined to take stock of their social, emotional, and intimate journeys. However, the fear of opening up generates pretenses, which eventually give way to destabilizing confessions: none of them are truly fulfilled in their marriages or sex lives.
A Resolutely Feminine Exchange
In a decidedly feminine and sometimes overtly feminist exchange, they attempt to claim their right to sexual freedom, while rejecting, with lucidity, the responsibility for their frustrations on society and the patriarchal system that shapes their lives.
A Vibrant and Nostalgic Theater
With a rhythmic and lively staging, Vagba Obou Desales, invited by the 26th edition of the Carthage Theater Days (from November 22 to 29, 2025), led the audience into the explosive reunion of the three women at the heart of "La Toge des insensés" (The Robe of the Insane), a work selected for the official competition. Carried by three committed Ivorian actresses: Eve Guehi, also the author of the text, Evelyne Ily, and Annick Christelle, this work gives a new view of vibrant, almost nostalgic Ivorian popular theater, reconnecting with the energy of the Belle Epoque of the 1980s. This is, in fact, the first work written by Eve Guehi, who loudly claims the will to reconcile the audience with the stage.
A Satire without Concession
The proposal oscillates with precision between gravity and lightness, humor and density, to address female sexual emancipation while reflecting back to the spectator the sometimes brutal reflection of our behaviors. Rym, the wife of a religious guide; Olivera, a BCBG executive; and Tina, the mistress of a minister: three women who seem to be opposed, but who, when reunited, gradually shed their conventions and reveal crude truths and desires long suppressed.
A Construction of Satire
Thus, this satire without concession is constructed, which pins our social hypocrisies. At the same time light, incisive, and rather funny, the play assumes a direct tone to evoke the hidden impulses, intimate frustrations, and contradictions of these women. Other themes deeply rooted in our African societies, such as the weight of social gaze, the pressure of marriage, gossip, and the fear of judgment, come to nourish the "requisitory" of the three protagonists.
A Manifesto
For, in the middle of the play, the lustful confidantes take on the roles of judge or magistrate. The tone shifts, and the unrestrained comedy turns into a serious and lucid plea. They denounce the status quo, its injunctions, and its injustices, and transform their confession into a manifesto. A manifesto where the refusal to conform to the dictates of patriarchal societies is clearly affirmed, and where the claim for intimate, social, and sexual freedom, long delayed, is asserted.
A Resounding Success
A proposal that found a true echo with the audience present at the Ciné-Théâtre Le Rio, which long applauded the play.
