Fefu and Her Friends

Near the end of Part 1, Emma states, “Life is theatre. Theatre is life. If we’re showing what life is, can be, we must do theatre” (22). Although Emma lives her life more dramatically than the other women, this assertion does not simply pertain to her personal philosophy. First, it’s a meta-theatrical statement that refers to how the play itself works through questions about social expectations and unpacks the way gender roles harm and even kill women. The performances of womanhood and femininity continue to be oppressive, even when a woman is in her own home or among other women.

The play turns the domestic sphere, which is meant to be private, into a performance space, putting these women on display even in personal moments. This effect is emphasized in Part 2 when the audience is forced to travel from room to room and remember that they are taking part in a performance. They aren’t allowed to become engrossed as a passive observer. The women in the play also perform for each other, frequently expressing themselves through monologues rather than discussions. They put up fronts to perform propriety or mask their emotions and pain.