Theater - Ovidie, "Alas, the Flesh Is Sad"

"One day, I stopped having sex with men," wrote Ovidie in her novel published in 2023. In response to the widespread attention this short story received, the author adapted it into this brilliant one-woman show, delivered in a gripping performance by Anna Mouglalis.

Neither an essay nor a manifesto, this text is intended above all to be cathartic. In this literary act, Ovidie lays bare the reasons that led her to go on a heterosexual sex strike, lucidly deconstructing the constraints that still weigh heavily on the issue of desire.

With her deep, magnetic voice—at times accompanied by video projections—actress Anna Mouglalis brings the text to life. She reveals not only the text’s political dimension but also its humor and galvanizing power, transforming this intimate narrative into an invitation to reclaim one’s body and a passionate plea for gender equality.