About the work
Scorched is a play by Lebanese-Canadian author Wajdi Mouawad, originally written in French as "Incendies" (2003). It forms the second part of his four-play cycle "Le Sang des promesses" and premiered on 14 March 2003 at the Théâtre Hexagone in Meylan. For the character of Nawal, Mouawad drew on aspects of the life of Lebanese resistance fighter Souha Bechara.
Plot
After their mother Nawal's death, the twins Jeanne and Simon receive her will, which sends them in search of their unknown father and a missing brother. Flashbacks reveal Nawal's past during a civil war: her separation from a child, her imprisonment, and the violence she suffered. The search ends with the revelation that the father and the missing brother are one and the same person.
Cultural significance
As part of the tetralogy "Le Sang des promesses", the play represents the element of fire and ranks among the most widely performed works of contemporary francophone theatre. The 2010 film adaptation by Denis Villeneuve was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.