The season kicks off strongly with a play twice nominated for the Molière Award, “Politically Correct.”
What would you do if, being from the far right, you fell in love with a left-wing activist? And just at that moment, it’s the second round of the presidential election, where the left faces the National Front. Meanwhile, Alexandre, a far-right militant, seduces Mado, a socialist. They are offered the most beautiful night until morning when getting to know each other… Without passing judgment, one is caught up in this complex debate in this true sentimental thriller. The play is written and directed by Salomé Lelouch with Ludivine de Chastenet and Frédéric Chevaux, among others, on October 11, 12, and 13 at 8:30 pm, and Sunday the 14th at 4:30 pm.
After recovering from a serious illness, Ana wants to seize her chance as a survivor to live her story with her husband more intensely. She sets demands to surpass their former life. Intimate theater precision and guaranteed emotions. The success of the last Avignon off “Living Is Not Enough” by Jean-Mary Pierre, directed by Hélène Darche, will be performed on Thursday 18, Friday 19, and Saturday 20 October at 8:30 pm and Sunday 21 at 4:30 pm.
The theater later proposes a reassessment with “The Passengers of the Dawn,” written and directed by Violaine Arsac, about a brilliant final-year neurosurgery intern who, irritated by controversy, turns to spirituality. Can medicine be married to ancient wisdoms? After extensive research, the author addresses questions of humanism and universality, a singular approach for a scientist! A rather exceptional love story irrigates this play. To be seen on Thursday 8, Friday 9, Saturday 10 November at 8:30 pm and Sunday 11 at 4:30 pm.
You appreciated Christelle Loury last year in her Piaf recital. She returns with a tribute to three strong female singers, Piaf, Gréco, and Barbara, on Thursday 15 and Saturday 17 at 8:30 pm, while she will bring back “Reliving the Piaf Emotion” on Friday 16 at 8:30 pm and Sunday 18 at 4:30 pm.
You know Mado from Nice but perhaps less Zize – the Marseillaise who will do her best to marry her son, which involves authoritarianism and grandiloquence. We are between Pagnol, the world of “cagoles,” and airs of high society. “Zize, Mama Mia’s Family” is signed Thierry Wilson, a former resident of Michou. Hilarious Thursday 22; Friday 23, Saturday 24 at 8:30 pm and Sunday 25 at 4:30 pm.
After “Resisting Is Existing,” Alain Guyard and François Bourcier return with the story of “Sacco and Vanzetti,” a story that has crossed borders, synonymous with love, revolt, and dignity. It will move us and remind us how the contempt for certain minorities, in this case, Italians in the United States in 1927, and more particularly these anarchist militants, often leads to extremism. A show that still resonates today. To be seen on November 29, 30, and Saturday, December 1 at 8:30 pm and Sunday 2 at 4:30 pm.
“The Vibrant Ones” is the story of Eugène, a voluntary enlistee in 1914 who becomes what is called a “gueule cassée” (disfigured soldier). Thanks to the skill of the “architect” surgeons of his face, he experiences a resurrection through the stage mask, where he will embrace “all dreamed or lived passions” in plays like Cyrano or those with Sarah Bernhardt. A very moving show, a favorite of the Avignon 2014 press, on Monday, December 3 at 8:30 pm at the Théâtre des Variétés. Note in the season “Fabrice Lucchini and I,” a performance by Olivier Sauton who dreamed of becoming a star.
Through the encounter with his idol and the delivery of three lessons in life as well as theater, he realizes his dream. Amusing and moving. Audience award at the 2015 off Festival on December 13, 14, and 15 at 8:30 pm and Sunday 16 at 4:30 pm.
One might describe him as lunar, naive, poetic, a tightrope walker of situations borrowing from the universe of Kafka and Prévert, this Jean-Jacques Vannier and his “Flight of the Penguin,” whose incommunicability with humans becomes touching and unexpected. A longtime commentator at France Inter, come applaud him in a direction by another “stage beast,” François Rollin, Thursday, January 17 at 8:30 pm, Friday 18 at 9 pm, Saturday 19 at 8:30 pm, and Sunday 20 at 4:45 pm.
A historical testimony, that of Bérénice Kapelouchnik, passionate about theater to the point of becoming a member of the French Comedy but we are under the Vichy regime and she chooses to renounce her Jewishness to live her passion. It’s the opportunity to show the ambiguities of certain administrators and teachers of this great institution such as Jacques Copeau or Jouvet. But her place in this troubled society will lead her to question her deep being and to engage without renouncing this time, a message for youth at a time of vocations and passions: “Bérénice 34-44” by Isabelle Stibbe with Violette Erhart on Friday 18 at 6:45 pm and Sunday, January 20 at 2:30 pm.
Two adaptations in the season “Les Misérables” by Hugo adapted by Manon Montel between January 24 and 27 and one of the most beautiful plays by Molière “The Misanthrope” (vs politics) on the sincerity of feelings against sham. Adaptation by Claire Guyot from Thursday 31 to Saturday 2 February and Sunday 3 at 4:30 pm.
A comedy to start March, by Sacha Guitry, “A Helping Hand” Adrien, who is bored in Paris despite his ease, decides against all odds to return to his profession as a doctor, a pretext for the author to reflect on the couple and its evolution with seduction games and sensuality. Directed by Peter Bateson. Note that the theater’s director, Anthéa Sogno, is part of the cast. From Thursday 28 to Saturday 2 March at 8:30 pm and Sunday 3 at 4:30 pm.
Eva Rami will astonish us. From her journey as an aspiring actress, she delivers all the spice through a gallery of characters more atypical than the next, from her relatives to her teachers and directors. The affirmation of undeniable talent. It’s called “T’es toi” and it will be performed from March 7 to 9 at 8:30 pm and Sunday 10 at 4:30 pm.
Musical theater with “Nocturnal Illusions”: the creation of a cabaret by a troupe of idealistic artists whose urgency to live and bring happiness is commensurate with the dangers of the era they go through, that of Nazism. A creation by Pascal Lacoste, directed by Juliette Moltes, from March 14 to 16, and Sunday 17 at 4:30 pm.
Also mentioned is the intimate story of Victor Hugo “Pyrenees or the Summer Journey of 1843,” interpreted by Julien Rochefort, the son of Jean: the wonder of discovering places or rekindling the stays of the poet’s childhood on March 15, 16, and 17, a comedy directed by Virginie Lemoine “Sorrow for Oneself” with Sophie Forte and William Mesguich, for the first time in a comedic role: and if sorrow materialized next to its victim, wouldn’t it be necessary to rid of it with humor and self-mockery? From March 21 to 23 and Sunday 24 at 4:30 pm.
“You Will Be a Man, Dad” by and with Gaël Leiblang, a former sports journalist. He will use the allegory of sport to recount the 13 days during which his prematurely born child faced the worst. Resilience through activity to dispel fears and offer an ode to life from March 28 to 30 and Sunday 31 at 4:30 pm.
An event then the arrival of Corinne Touzet alongside Jean-Ems Marie-Louise for “Elevator Ride” by Sophie Forte exceptionally at Théâtre des Variétés on Thursday, April 4 at 8:30 pm: two characters that oppose each other—the CEO’s wife and a janitor find themselves spending a long moment in a stuck elevator. This confrontation will change their lives. Humor and emotion, the two talents of Sophie Forte.
Finally, the budding actors of the Muses troupe in the program. They have 7 years of training in Monaco. Anthéa has adapted “In Cyrano’s Skin,” the success of Nicolas Devort: the arrival in college of a new student who cannot find his footing until his encounter with a benevolent drama teacher. Funny and poetic, “One for All, All for Cyrano” performed by the Inspired, who we hope will perform in Avignon in 2019. From April 5 to 7.
Two adaptations in April and May “A Simple Heart” by Flaubert with Isabelle Andréani in the role of Félicité, a big-hearted servant of the 19th century, and “Foam of the Days” by Boris Vian by Paul Edmond, this poetic tale where beings and objects animate in a jazz-music atmosphere dear to the author of this cult novel.
Finally, “Jules and Marcel” by Pierre Tre-Hardy tells the encounter between a young theater author, Marcel Pagnol, and a rising star of the stage, Raimu. Through their lively epistolary exchanges, let’s rediscover these comedy giants from a more human angle, previously played by Michel Galabru and Philippe Caubère, this play is well cast in a direction by Nicolas Pagnol from May 16 to 18 and Sunday 19 at 4:30 pm.
Philippe Caubère, again, directs Clémence Massart in a show taken from authentic letters of the postal heart from the 1950s-60s: a portrait of women in all their states from May 30 to June 1 and Sunday 2. So, does this season tempt you? Demanding and varied. Don’t hesitate anymore.
Roland Haugade
