The Play of Adam

Play by an anonymous Anglo-Norman author from the 11th-12th century, the first dramatic text in the French language

The play is presented in the Sainte-Trinité–Saint-Sauveur church in Fours-en-Vexin, as it was during its creation in the churches of the "Plantagenêt House" area, which then extended from England to the south of Aquitaine, including Normandy.

The Jeu d’Adam marks the beginnings of French and English theater by offering a staging of the origins of humanity based on the Scriptures, as interpreted in the Middle Ages. The performance combines reading, voice, gestures, and musical passages, particularly during key moments.
The work is structured into three parts. The first features God, Adam, Eve, and then the Devil: it begins with the installation of the couple in the Garden of Eden and ends with the fall and exile. The second part presents the disputatio between the brothers Abel and Cain, which leads to the first fratricidal murder. The third gives voice to ten great prophets of the Bible, from Abraham to Isaiah, before a final debate concluded in a unique manner by King Nebuchadnezzar, opening a perspective of hope and redemption.

This questioning resonates even today. Gabrielle Halpern, in "Artificial Intelligence: And Man Created God" (Hermann, 2026), reminds us that God does not ask Adam "What have you done?", but "Where are you?", thus questioning man's place in the world. A reflection already present nearly a thousand years ago, at the heart of this foundational work.

Practical information:
All audiences
Duration: 1h30
Free

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