Opening a triptych dedicated to the work of Virginia Woolf, Magali Montoya has launched Mrs Dalloway, c’est nous ! at the Théâtre de l’Échangeur in Bagnolet. Running through October 3, 2026, the first movement of the production explores the opening forty pages of Woolf’s 1925 novel, tracing the footsteps and interior monologue of Clarissa Dalloway across a single day in London.
Stepping Into the Labyrinth of Clarissa Dalloway’s London
The performance begins with the famous incipit: “Mrs Dalloway said she would buy the flowers herself.” Montoya anchors her staging in the French translation crafted by novelist Nathalie Azoulai and published by P.O.L Éditeur. Azoulai notes that in the June 1923 setting of the novel, Clarissa Dalloway is fifty-two years old—older than Woolf was when she published the book at forty-three. This focus on maturity shapes the artistic choices of the production.
On stage, Montoya moves across a set dotted with elements such as veils, occasionally sitting at a piano to play as she follows the text. The solo performance captures the polyphonic inner life of a mature woman walking through the city while reflecting on her youth, past friendships, and former loves. Running at one hour and ten minutes, this initial movement offers a concentrated glimpse into the broader triptych envisioned by the company.
A Collaborative Exploration of Literary Polyphony
While Montoya carries the weight of the performance alone on stage, the production is built on a foundation of artistic collaboration. During the rehearsal process, she worked alongside three artistic accomplices: Anne Alvaro, Jules Churin, and Sébastien Derrey. Their collective input mirrors the complex, multi-voiced texture of Woolf’s prose, ensuring the stage adaptation respects the rhythm and linguistic nuance of the original writing.
Montoya approaches the text with the conviction that major literary works function as a shared cultural commons. These foundational texts connect contemporary audiences to those who came before while illuminating modern understandings of personal freedom, private desire, and the societal roles of women. The production benefits from lighting design by Jean-Yves Courcoux, costumes by Pauline Pô, and a scenography developed collaboratively by Jules Churin, Pauline Pô, and Montoya herself.
Production Background and Future Movements
Mrs Dalloway, c’est nous ! marks a chapter in Montoya’s exploration of literature for the stage. Her previous adaptations include Unica Zürn’s L’Homme-Jasmin, Madame de Lafayette’s La Princesse de Clèves, and Les Tigres sont plus beaux à voir, which drew upon the life and work of Jean Rhys. Produced by Le Solstice d’Hiver with support from the DRAC Île-de-France (Ministry of Culture), the project has also benefited from residencies and co-productions at the Théâtre de l’Échangeur, the T2G – Théâtre de Gennevilliers, the Théâtre des Quartiers d’Ivry, and the Nouveau Gare au Théâtre in Vitry-sur-Seine.
While the current run focuses exclusively on the opening movement of the novel, the production leaves audiences eager for subsequent installments that will explore the remaining pages of Woolf's masterpiece. Performances at the Théâtre de l’Échangeur run Wednesday through Friday at 8:00 PM, and Saturdays at 6:00 PM, concluding on October 3, 2026.
The Continuing Resonance of Woolf’s Modernism
By bringing Virginia Woolf’s narrative into a theatrical space, Montoya’s staging highlights the enduring relevance of the work. The production treats the text not as a distant historical artifact, but as a living dialogue about human consciousness and urban isolation. As audiences await the development of the second and third movements, this initial chapter stands as a thoughtful meditation on memory, time, and identity.
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