“Behind Every Great One” by Deconstructeam (Jordi de Paco, Fingerspit & Marina González).
“Gabriel is a really driven succes[s]ful artist. Victorine doesn’t have any personal passions but supports Gabriel as a housewife. They love each other. Cook, clean, smoke, read and have dinner with your husband.”
One of the most crucial parts of each relationship is to support each other. But regardless how important or supporting your partner can be, there are always limits; especially when this precious act is one-sided. “Behind Every Great One” features a fantastic way to emphasize the consequences of an unbalanced support.
As the housewife Victorine, who is married to the artist Gabriel, you have to take care of the chores: You can water the plants, cook a delicious dinner, clean the dishes, iron the shirts, sweep the dust in the living room away and so on. When the sun settles down, you and Gabriel will end up at the dinner table and talk about what you two accomplished this day. Well, no, that is not exactly right, to be honest. Gabriel will talk about his projects mostly and nag a bit about the mistakes you made, like forgetting to clean the bathroom. He claims that those things are just remarks, and of course no orders in any sense. What a lovely husband he is, is he not?
Okay, I present Gabriel to you as the solo bad guy here, but honestly? He comes across as ‘just’ stupid and unmindful. I doubt that he means any harm, but that does not really matter in the end, as Victorine will become more and more unhappy with her life. Especially when Gabriel’s parents arrive for a spontaneous visit, she comes close to the edge of a mental breakdown, as she cannot do anything right in the eyes of her judgmental mother-in-law.
It is heartbreaking to see Victorine crying, when she can find a room just for herself in the crowded apartment. All the hurtful comments and the expectations of everyone seem to become a serious problem for her health. Gabriel even realizes that in the later part of the game, but the damage is already done. And no, “Behind Every Great One” will not present you any happy, but also no sad ending. Instead it allows you to make your own conclusions how the marriage between Victorine and Gabriel will continue. Hopefully, this intimate journey will leave you with one question: Are my own relationships healthy for everyone included? That is the real master stroke of this experience. [PLAY]
