Michel Houellebecq: Serotonin

"Did we fall for the illusion of personal freedom, an open life, endless possibilities? That's how people thought back then."

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter found in blood platelets; its deficiency causes depression and mood disorders. It is also the title of Michel Houellebecq's bleakest novel - and MeetFactory Theatre presents its first Czech theatrical adaptation.

Florent-Claude, forty-six, is physically healthy yet on the brink of death. He realizes he has made a fundamental mistake in life: romantic relationships demand far more than choosing hummus at the supermarket. He finds himself in an urgent emptiness that cannot be filled with luxury goods, intoxicating substances, exotic destinations, or perverted sex. Overnight, he severs all professional and personal ties and abandons every practical component of his life.

He stages several real and phantasmagoric encounters with former lovers and himself, so he can surrender fully to solitude and reach the inevitable conclusion. The pain he experiences is terrifying - yet it seems both inevitable and cathartic.