Markus Öhrn Reimagines Bergman's 'Scenes from a Marriage' as Grotesque Farce at Odéon

Swedish director Markus Öhrn presents a radical new adaptation of Ingmar Bergman's 'Scenes from a Marriage' at the Odéon-Théâtre de l'Europe in Paris, running from May 20 to June 7, 2026. The production, performed in French with English surtitles, stars Hélène Morelli and Mathieu Perotto as Marianne and Johan. Öhrn first adapted the work in 2023 but now offers a completely new version with a French cast. He transposes Bergman's intimate drama into an absurdist, grotesque universe, rejecting realism. The actors wear grotesque masks and perform inside a stripped-down white box, evoking the Grand-Guignol tradition and violent cartoons. This exaggerated, caricatural violence serves as a distorting mirror for the audience, reflecting repressed or socially masked impulses. The production reframes Bergman's story through the lens of domestic violence—both physical and psychological—that occurs in secret within many couples. The original film, released in 1973, followed the ten-year dissolution of Johan and Marianne's marriage. Creative team includes costume/mask designer Elin Maria Johansson, composer/sound designer Hans Appelqvist, and lighting designer Anton Andersson. The show lasts 2 hours 20 minutes with one intermission.