Je Christine
A Medieval Woman in Her Own Words
JE CHRISTINE IS A ONE-WOMAN LIVE SHOW IN THE WORDS OF CHRISTINE DE PIZAN PERFORMED BY SUZANNE SAVOY. VIEW THE VIDEO TRAILER BY CLICKING IN THE MENU ON THIS PAGE (OR THE SMALL RED MENU SQUARE ON SMARTPHONES).
CHRISTINE DE PIZAN (1364 -- c. 1430) was born in Venice. From the age of five she lived in Paris, as her father had been summoned by King Charles V to act as his medical and astrological advisor. Christine was encouraged in her love of learning by her father and had access to the royal library. Widowed at the age of twenty-five and with a family to support, Christine achieved notice by writing poems for the nobility. When she publicly entered into a famous literary debate concerning a controversial book, The Romance of the Rose, her position as an important scholarly voice was secured.
During a time of war, plague, and political upheaval, Christine's written counsel became increasingly valued by the royal family. Christine published her own books, employing scribes, illuminators, and book-binders. Her many works cover a range of styles: love poetry, allegory, biography, educational treatises, public correspondence, spiritual writings, and a heroic poem dedicated to Joan of Arc, who was Christine's contemporary. The City of Ladies and The Book of the Three Virtues stood in defense of women's worth five centuries before feminism became a recognized cause. The Book of Deeds of Arms and Chivalry, a manual on preparation for battle and on the laws and philosophy of war, was one of the first big sellers after the invention of the printing press and is still referenced at military academies today.
SUZANNE SAVOY is an educator and a veteran of stage and screen. Go to IMDb at http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0767929/
to learn more about her extensive onscreen and voice-over work. She plays Kristen McCusker in Steven Soderbergh's Full Circle on HBO MAX, DNC Chairwoman Patricia Whittaker on House of Cards, Victoria Robertson in The Knick, and Charlotte in the feature film The Upside.
Past projects with her students have included the creation, design, and direction of shows based on classical literature: The Epic of Gilgamesh, The Labors of Herakles, Areito (tales from the Taino tradition), and The Adventures of Lancelot. Suzanne spent ten years designing for the acclaimed NYC touring company The Shakespeare Project and created and ran their education program. Her popular online library program, Lunchtime Short Story Readings for Adults, has created a vibrant community of readers and listeners; more info at https://lewes.lib.de.us/
Savoy is currently preparing a translation of Christine de Pizan's Le Livre du Dit de Poissy for publication and voice recording. It has been performed live for the 58th International Congress on Medieval Studies. Click on the Dit de Poissy menu item, above, for more info and to book a reading.
Be sure to check out the study guide on this site for materials on Christine de Pizan to share with your organization.
CONTACT &
BOOKINGS
Je Christine: A Medieval Woman in Her Own Words is a ninety-minute live solo performance and discussion that can be booked by universities, museums, libraries and other organizations.
To reserve seats for an upcoming show, or for more information on how to book an engagement of Je Christine, please fill in the fields in the contact form on this page and click SEND. You will receive a reply shortly.
Meanwhile, if you'd like to watch scenes from the live stage show, go back to the top of this site and click on the menu to view the video. Enjoy!