Hi everyone! I hope you’re all well. Today is Friday, and it’s time for another review. Today, I am reviewing Michel Marc Bouchard’s play Tom at the Farm (English translation by Linda Gaboriau).
Tom at the Farm was published in 2012 by Talonbooks and is 96 pages long.
The Plot
Tom at the Farm is a psychological thriller that unravels familial secrets and explores the suffocating grip of grief and isolation. The story begins when Tom, a young advertising professional from the city, travels to the countryside for the funeral of his late partner. However, what should have been a sombre, respectful event quickly takes a chilling turn.
Characters
Tom
Tom starts as a grieving boyfriend, hoping to find closure, but he’s much more than an average protagonist. His arc is hard to pin down in a good way—he’s vulnerable but oddly complicit in the web of lies his partner’s brother, Francis, creates. There’s an unsettling duality in him; in some moments, you feel deeply for him, yet in others, you wonder why he doesn’t just walk away. His inner turmoil mirrors the claustrophobic setting of the farm, making him a vessel for the psychological weight of the story.
Francis
Francis is the play’s antagonist. He’s a complex villain, and you almost want to try to understand him. Francis is the embodiment of toxic masculinity and self-loathing, hiding his vulnerabilities behind cruelty and violence. I couldn’t work out whether or not he was merely a product of his circumstances—a farm-bound existence steeped in isolation—or something more inherently sinister.
Agathe
Agathe is an emblem of quiet denial. Her refusal to see the truth about who her dead son is feels almost willful, but there’s something heartbreaking about it, too. She clings to her version of him because it’s all that remains. While she’s not as central to the plot as Tom or Francis, her presence casts a shadow over the story, reminding us of the emotional collateral damage of secrets.
Sara
Sara is a small but significant element in the narrative. She is the enigmatic “girlfriend” that Agathe imagines as a part of her dead son’s life. While she is more a 2d representation of a person than a fully realized character, her presence sheds light on how far Agathe is willing to go to protect the façade she has created.
Writing Style
I can’t comment on the original form of this play since I don’t speak French—but my research suggests that Linda Gaboriau’s English translation is almost identical.
I can imagine that translating a play—especially one as atmospheric as this—is no small feat—yet the precision with which the language moves from poetic reflections on grief to sharp, cutting exchanges is remarkable. There is still something quite French about how the characters interact and think, and I wish I could speak French to see how the two compare.
What primarily stood out to me about this play was the intimacy of the dialogue. Every word feels deliberate, and you can sense the charged silence in moments between dialogue. Even reading it on the page (as opposed to seeing it performed), there’s a visceral tension embedded in the writing. The language mirrors the setting—isolated, raw, and unforgiving.
The play is more than straightforward drama; Tom at the Farm examines how grief can implode without truthfulness. Bouchard blends suspense, pathos, and a streak of dark humour into a plot that feels unsettlingly real.
Final Thoughts
If you’re a fan of drama that blends psychological tension with deep human drama, Tom at the Farm will hit the mark. It’s not just a story about mourning—it’s also about the stories we tell to survive, the lies we cling to, and the truths we’re too afraid to face. Michel Marc Bouchard’s story, paired with Linda Gaboriau’s excellent translation, creates an experience that feels both intimate and universal, a story you can’t shake off even after closing the book.
I am giving Tom at the Farm 10/10.
Have you read this play or perhaps watched a performance? Let me know your thoughts.
Thank you, as ever, for stopping by to read my review.
Until next time,
George
© 2025 GLT
Categories: Book Reviews, Reading
GEORGE L THOMAS 
sounds an interesting read. I love psychological thrillers they have to have depth and interesting characters to capture the reader’s imagination and this one sounds like it does just that!
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