Whereas Andrée stays with Catholicism, Sylvie becomes an atheist.  Sylvie is also more interested in art and culture than she is in religion.  We never meet Sylvie’s parents but Andrée’s mother (Caroline Trowbridge) is ever present disallowing what Andrée would like to do. 

Set in the 1920s as the girls reach maturity we hear Andrée’s mother say the only future for a girl is marriage or the convent.  There is no single option. Thank Goodness Simone de Beauvoir didn’t think like that!

But we hear that Andrée’s mother had been forced to marry a stranger. 

There is good natural conversation between the two as they grow up, keeping their friendship alive during time apart away from Paris.  They both go to university at the Sorbonne.  As Sylvie,  Ayesha Ostler is often watching or recounting what Andrée has been up to, like tasting cherries “en alcool” or kissing Bernard who is half Jewish (Alexandre Costet-Barmada).  Lara Manela will dance and mime playing her violin as the more animated of the two.  They are nicely directed by Anastasia Bunce in the Finborough’s intimate space.  There is a very funny scene when Pascal dances with Sylvie who had no sense of rhythm followed by the very competent Andrée.

Having found time for herself as a child because of the burns, Andrée again engineers an injury to stop her being sent away.  I won’t spoil the ending but it is a loss.  I found myself wanting to know about Sylvie/Simone’s friendship with Jean-Paul Sartre at the Sorbonne but perhaps that is matter for another play?