Madame de Sade
Madame de Sade is a historical fiction play written by Mishima Yukio and published in 1965.
In March 2009 London's Donmar Warehouse staged a production at Wyndham's Theatre directed by Michael Grandage.
It starred Rosamund Pike (in the title role) and Judi Dench as her mother, Madame De Montreuil.
The scene opens with Simiane and Saint-Fond waiting in the saloon after being summoned by Madame de Montreuil.
Both ladies pledge their help, Simiane using her influential contacts in the church and Saint-Fond her web of lovers and bed fellows.
As Montreuil and Renee leave the stage, Anne the sister and Charlotte the house keeper enter the scene.
Anne appears to be expressing an unwillingness to see her sister to Charlotte right before her mother walks back on stage.
Upon further probing by her mother she reveals her travelling companion to be none other than her brother-in-law the Marquis de Sade.
The letter announces that Marquis de Sade was retried, given a lesser sentence and is to be released from jail, Renee becomes ecstatic.
The women then go to their mother and the three of them begin debating the true nature of the Marquis based on their understandings.
As the women continue to argue Charlotte enters the room and informs them that the Comtesse de Saint-Fond has come to pay a visit.
Saint-Fond begins to inform the ladies gathered onstage of her latest exploits into the world of the erotic and profane.
When Montreuil and Anne begin to ridicule Saint-Fond the Comtesse asks Renée about the date of written on the announcement of Alphonse's release.
Renée denounces her mother; Montreuil tells her daughter that staying with the Marquis de Sade will make her a pariah.
Ingmar Bergman staged the play at the Royal Dramatic Theatre in 1989 with Stina Ekblad as the main character Renée, Marie Richardson as her sister and Anita Björk as their mother.
In 2008 Madame de Sade was performed in France and received glowing praise from critics.
In April 2009 Madame de Sade was performed at the Donmar West End in London and received mixed reviews from critics.
