Vierge 

Show Length: 1h40 with no intermission 

Play synopsis 

In a church basement in Quebec four Congolese-Canadian teenage girls gather for bible study. Instead, they grapple with gossip, faith, hormones, and family expectations. All of this while trying to become friends and understand where their loyalties lie. Divine, Bien-Aimé, Grace and Sarah must learn how to be true to themselves and maintain their cultural values. 


The girls each have a foot in two worlds. They're Christian but they're also teenagers growing up in a modern world. Vierge gives us a glimpse into the lives of these girls, in situations both hilarious and stressful. Witness four girls sharing and uncovering secrets, and learning to tell the difference between a lie and a truth.


Who is this suitable for?

This show is suitable for adults, or well-prepared young people 15+. 

An age rating is based on a general idea. You are the best judge of what content is a good fit for you as an individual. Feel free to contact the box office if this note does not answer your questions.

Content notes

If you have any questions or would like more information, we encourage you to connect with our Access Manager, Drea (email here, or by phone 613-236-5192 x 235).


What is the world of the show? What is the vibe?

What starts as bible study quickly becomes a girl’s hangout. Stuck in a church basement, the four teenagers gather to read the bible. Three of the girls are less interested in the bible and much more interested in painting nails, twerking, Songi Songi (gossip), talking about sex, periods, and first kisses. This show is filled with laughter, heartache, and the trials of being a teenager and fitting in with your community. It looks at the way lies can be more believable than truths, because they’re aligned with what people want to hear. 

The characters in Vierge speak English, with bits of French and Lingala scattered throughout, giving us a window into how the Congolese-Canadian community speak among themselves. 


 The following topics are parts of the show: some are significant and others are only mentioned. 

  • Underage drinking

  • Sexuality and sexual innuendo

  • Bullying

  • Prejudice and stereotypes

  • Congolese and Canadian culture

  • Death (discussion about pastor’s wife dying)

  • A retelling of sexual assault 

  • Christianity 

  • Use of the words crazy and mental breakdown

What technical elements does this show include?

  • Pulsing lights

  • Loud music and talking

  • Moments of Darkness 

  • Simulated fluorescent lighting (Show uses LED but will flicker slightly simulating a fluorescent light)

Additional Environmental notes: 

  • Characters eating on stage 

  • Characters painting nails on stage

[Image Description: Seven content note icons depicting elements from the show: underage drinking, sexuality, bullying, a retelling of sexual assault, loud noise, and pulsing light.]

 

[Image description: Text reads “Vierge. Written by Rachel Mutombo. Directed by Dian Marie Bridge.” An ink drawing in which four people, bodies not shown, are holding hands in a prayer circle. Their sleeves are patterned intricately with graphic designs of circles and waves inspired by Kuba and Super Wax Cloth. In the centre of the image is the flag of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Floating between the hands are images such as a church, cellphone, bible, lipstick, devil, and plane. The image is coloured in various shades of blue.]