Virginie is an insomniac, a vegetarian (except  bacon), a killer of pot plants, a stiletto-wearing feminist. A year ago, her partner left her after a series of fights and misunderstandings. In a frenetic monologue, she gives us a window into her contradictory life and the stresses that tug her in all directions.

What she doesn’t notice, is that the difficult day that she invites us to witness, the day of the breakup, is also the day of an air pollution spike and heatwave. She knows it was hot, but she’s not aware of the psychological effects of heat and air quality.

While Virginie tells her story, graphics projected around her show what’s happening to her body and her mind:

• The density and colours of particle clouds make visible the pollutants in the air around her.[1]
• Results from scientific studies on stress associated with heat and air pollution are displayed.[2]
• Whenever Virginie mentions a scientific idea, her source (a video or article she saw online) is displayed.

A 20-minute live performance about human fragility in the face of pollution, and the need for kindness towards both our loved ones and ourselves. The goal is to awaken the spectators to the psychological effects of pollution.

In style, the monologue pays hommage to Bombshells, a series of six monologues by Australian playwright Joanna Murray-Smith. The projected set draws on the ideas of visual interaction between scenography and performer in Chotto Desh (Akram Khan Company, 2015). The visualisation of the air is inspired by Le Mouvement de l’Air (Adrien M & Claire B, 2015), and Particle Mirror (Karl Sims, 2017).

[1] Intended source: ATMO France

[2] James Rotton and James Frey, « Psychological Costs of Air Pollution: Atmospheric Conditions, Seasonal Trends, and Psychiatric Emergencies », Population and Environment 7, n^o 1 (1984): 3‑16.