By Justin Moore
Maryse Condé is a living legend, one of the most famous and prolific francophone authors alive she has written over 10 plays and taught at Columbia University, University of California, Berkeley, University of California, Los Angeles, University of Virginia and many other schools.
Condé, born Maryse Boucolon 1930 in Guadeloupe. When Condé was 23, she went to study at Lycee Fenelon and Sorbonne (University of Paris), in Paris, France. She majored in English and graduated to become a teacher.
During her time in college, Condé married a Guinean actor named Mamadou Condé, whom she divorced in 1981.
Condé got married again, this time to Richard Philcox, who does most of the English translations of her work according to Wendy Yoder, French professor here at the University of Louisville.
Condé’s plays deal with many racial and cultural issues. The play that will be showing at the Playhouse, will be “Comme Deux Freres.”
The play, according to theatre-contemporain.net, focuses on the night two men, Jeff and Gregory, share in a jail cell after a serious crime was committed. Gregory is a cynic and Jeff is a dreamer. The odd couple must figure out a way to defend themselves in their court appearance the following morning.
Gregory, who says he is a changed man, has found a woman that he likes and his wanting to meet up with her very soon. Gregory asks Jeff to take the fall one more time and the play ends with a very clear response from Jeff.
The play is kicking off the Culture and Literature Conference which starts this Thursday and lasts until Saturday. The conference starts with registration at 10 a.m. Thursday.
Condé herself will be the keynote speaker at 11:30 a.m. in Chao Auditorium. The rest of the day include sectional meetings, more keynote presentations, a reception in the Red Barn and finally the play at 8 p.m.
This is the 36th year the conference has been held, it has grown into an international event that attracts hundreds of participants per year, according to the conference’s Web site.
