Les Belles Soeurs

The play resumes by repeating the end of the first act, beginning with Pierrette’s entrance. Angéline cries, “My God! I’m caught” (74). The women are indignant at Pierrette’s familiarity with Angéline, and Angéline pretends to faint. The women fuss over her, but Pierrette informs them that Angéline visits her at the club every Friday night. She nudges Angéline to stop faking, and Angéline admits that Pierrette is telling the truth. The women are shocked, although Angéline swears that she does nothing wrong and only drinks Coke. Pierrette verifies this, but the women are still horrified that Angéline is spending time in a nightclub. Rhéauna renounces Angéline as a friend, and the three sisters pronounce, “A club! The fastest road to hell!” (77). The women shame Angéline and Pierrette in unison like a Greek chorus. Linda, Ginette, and Lise respond together, protesting that clubs aren’t evil places. The other women reply that young people are fools and that they won’t realize that they’ve lost themselves until it’s too late. This causes Lise to worry that it is in fact too late.

The women continue scolding Angéline, reminding her that going to a club is a mortal sin. Angéline begs them to listen to her, explaining that she has been going to clubs for four years and that the people there are no different than they are. She says that she just wants to have some fun and laugh with new people, pleading, “Rhéauna, I’ve never laughed in my life!” (79). Rhéauna is unmoved and insists that she will no longer be Angéline’s friend unless she promises to never go back, but Angéline can’t make that promise. Pierrette approaches Angéline, who is now sitting by herself, and reassures her that the other women are being dramatic but will soon forget about it. Angéline points out that they haven’t forgotten that Pierrette works at the club, so she doubts that they will forgive her. Germaine shouts Pierrette’s name, and Pierrette tries to get the women to leave Angéline alone. Pierrette wants to help paste stamps, promising that she’ll be unobtrusive and will never return afterwards. However, she won’t leave Angéline alone with the other women.

Angéline interjects and tells Pierrette that she can go. Pierrette wants to stay, so Angéline says that she’ll leave. Lisette suggests that they both leave. Angéline asks Rhéauna if she is coming, but Rhéauna ignores her. Angéline tells her that she’ll leave the door unlocked for her. A spotlight focuses on Angéline, and she explains that Pierrette first convinced her to go to a club and that the people there treated her kindlier than anyone else had in her entire life. She says, “I was fifty-five years old when I learned to laugh” (82). Angéline admits that she drinks some alcohol. She has always told herself that if Rhéauna ever found out about the nightclub, she would stop going. She contemplates whether or not she can do that and decides, “I suppose Rhéauna is worth more than Pierrette. […] I guess the party’s over” (82), before exiting. The spotlight then focuses on Yvette, who announces that her sister-in-law threw a birthday party and gives a long list of everyone who attended.

Germaine urges the women to get back to work. Des-Neiges compliments their progress, and Marie-Ange responds to her by mentioning the books and stamps that Des-Neiges has stolen. Rhéauna wails about Angéline. Linda tells Pierrette that she’s sick of living with her mother and fighting with her all the time. Pierrette suggests that Linda move in with her, but Linda points out that her family would disown her. The women discuss church and a new priest who is coming to their parish. Lisette gushes about a current priest, whom the others consider too modern. She talks about an event he is organizing, and the other women are unimpressed until Rose asks about door prizes. Lisette tells them that the main event will be a game of bingo, and the women perk up. From the edge of the stage, they perform what Lisette declares an “Ode to Bingo” (87). Rose, Germaine, Gabrielle, Thérèse, and Marie-Ange describe their excitement when they get to play bingo and win things such as “Chinese dog door stops” and “ashtray floor lamps” (88). Throughout this “ode,” the other ladies call out bingo numbers as a counterpoint.

Rose is thirsty, and Germaine remembers that she forgot to serve the Cokes. Olivine hears the word and starts to repeat it over and over. Rose complains that Olivine is driving her crazy, but Gabrielle and Germaine urge her to keep the peace. In a spotlight, Lise approaches Linda by the refrigerator and confesses that she’s pregnant and terrified. Pierrette overhears and offers to help by giving her the name of an abortion doctor. The suggestion horrifies Linda, but Lise admits that she does want to abort and has been afraid to try to do it herself. Pierrette warns against self-induced abortion but promises that this doctor can help her within a week. Linda tries to dissuade Lise, pointing out that it’s illegal and suggesting that she marry the father. Lise scoffs and explains that the father made promises and lavished her with gifts but has since disappeared from her life. Lise is determined to succeed and have money for herself, and a baby would make that impossible. Pierrette understands and starts to tell Lise about leaving home to make money at the club. She mentions Johnny, and Rose, Germaine, and Gabrielle chant, “Goddamn Johnny!” (92).

Ginette approaches the group at the refrigerator, but Lise doesn’t want to tell her what’s going on. Lise and Pierrette go to speak privately. Germaine asks about the Cokes, and Linda tells her that they’re coming. The women talk about sales and jobs, and suddenly Rose remembers that there is a phone call for Linda. Linda picks up the phone and talks to Robert, who is still waiting. Ginette prods Lise to tell her what’s happening, but Lise only wants to talk to Pierrette, hurting Ginette’s feelings. Linda responds to Robert, who is angry at her for making him wait. Rose asks Ginette about her family, and she tells her that her mother is still drinking and fighting with her father about it. Ginette is jealous of her sister, who is the smart sibling and receives all of the attention. Linda shouts at Robert to “go to hell” and then reprimands Rose for forgetting to tell her that he was waiting (95).

In a spotlight, Pierrette talks about Johnny, whom she fell in love with before she began working in the club. Now 30, she feels like Johnny used her to attract customers when she was young and attractive, wasting 10 years of her life and ruining her. She envies Lise, who is still young and whose problem is solvable. Pierrette doesn’t know what to do or how to tell her sisters that she’s done and feels “washed up.” Lise, anxious about the idea of abortion, says that she is jealous of Pierrette. Pierrette has a good job making money, and she’s also in love. Pierrette exclaims that Johnny said that she was “too old and too ugly” and dumped her (96). She doesn’t want to get a lower-wage job and doesn’t know what to do but drink. As Pierrette speaks, Lise cries out about being scared. Lise confesses that she’s afraid, and Pierrette, laughing, reassures her. Focus shifts to the other women, and Marie-Ange talks about hitting a man who was houseless because he touched her in a movie theater. Des-Neiges praises her and adds that she carries a hat pin for that purpose. Lise asks for paper to write down the doctor’s address, and Linda pleads with her not to go through with the abortion. Lise brushes her off.

Rhéauna spots Thérèse stealing booklets. Thérèse urges her to do the same, but Rhéauna exclaims that she isn’t a thief. Thérèse insists that it doesn’t count as stealing because Germaine has so many stamps and because the stamps were free. Germaine is suspicious of the pair’s whispering, and they pretend to be sharing a recipe. Germaine tells Rose that something suspicious is happening, but Rose—having just stashed more booklets in her bag—tells her that she’s being ridiculous. Germaine, noticing that Linda is talking to Pierrette too much, calls her over and demands to know what Pierrette and Lise are discussing. Linda refuses to give a real answer and storms away. Germaine swears to Rose that she’ll set Linda straight and throw Pierrette down the stairs if she dares to come to her apartment again.

Marie-Ange gossips about another woman’s daughter, Monique, who the women insinuate is pregnant. They speculate that the girl’s stepfather is probably the father, as he has been pursuing her since marrying her mother. Rose asserts that Monique dresses immodestly and has “the devil in her” (102), refusing to sympathize with her or any other unwed mothers. Lise starts to get upset, but Rose continues, stating that if her daughter got pregnant, she’d throw her out the window. Ginette wonders why Lise is so angry since she feels Rose is right. Lise tells Ginette to “fuck off” (103). Rose blames women for getting pregnant because the only way to avoid it is to not have sex. Pierrette mentions the pill, but Rose insults her, offended as a Catholic at the mention of birth control. Lisette agrees that pregnancy is not always the woman’s fault. Rose dismisses her as having watched too many French movies, which “always make you feel sorry for the pregnant girl” (103). Lise is seething, grumbling that Rose’s daughter is also having sex.

In a spotlight, Rose argues bitterly that the movies are never like real life. Her husband always expects sex from her, and it’s never fun. After a pause, Rose wishes that she never married. She has warned her daughter that men are worthless and hopes that she won’t end up like Rose: pregnant and caring for a two-year-old child at 44, with a husband who demands sex twice a day. Rose wishes that she could walk away but says women can’t do that.

The women argue about French movies and whether Frenchmen are manlier and more attractive than Canadian men. Olivine starts to repeat the word “Coke” over and over, but Germaine doesn’t have any more. Rose calls her cheap. Rhéauna decides to steal some stamps, noting that she only needs three more books to earn a chrome dustpan.

Angéline enters and addresses Rhéauna, saying that she has just spoken to the priest. The women greet Angéline icily, and Pierrette notes that Angéline didn’t look at her. While waiting for Angéline and Rhéauna to finish talking, Germaine decides to count the finished booklets. The women sit up, nervous, and Gabrielle distracts Germaine from her count. Rhéauna exclaims that Angéline has repented. Angéline wants to say goodbye to Pierrette, but Rhéauna insists that she doesn’t speak to her again. Passively, Angéline agrees. Giving up, Pierrette says that she might as well go. Germaine looks in the box and realizes how few booklets are inside. She demands to know where they’ve all gone, and the women pretend to search.

Suddenly, Olivine starts to pull stamps out from under her clothing. Thérèse tries to get her to stop and then swears that she had no idea, but Germaine orders all of the women to show her their purses. The women protest, but Germaine snatches Thérèse’s bag and extracts several booklets. Furious, Germaine seizes the purses from the other women and finds more books and stamps.

The women turn on Germaine, arguing that she used the stamps to belittle them and that they all deserve them just as much as Germaine does. Marie-Ange declares that they should just help themselves to what’s in the box. In a frenzy, they do so as Pierrette and Germaine struggle to stop them. Linda and Lise watch from the sidelines as the women all scream and fight over the stamps. Olivine rolls around in her wheelchair and starts singing “O Canada.” The women escape with the stamps, with Rose and Gabrielle lingering for a moment as Germaine laments that her sisters stole from her.

Rose and Gabrielle exit, leaving only Germaine, Linda, and Pierrette. Germaine cries and wails for her stamps. Pierrette tries to comfort her, but Germaine shouts at her to leave. Pierrette protests that she’s only trying to help, but Germaine insists that she never wants to see her again. Pierrette exits slowly, followed by Linda, who notes that cleaning up will be a lot of work. Alone, Germaine cries on her knees about her stamps and the new things that she won’t be able to get. Outside, the others sing “O Canada,” and Germaine, after a moment, recovers her strength and joins in. The play ends as “A rain of stamps falls slowly from the ceiling” (114).