Fabrice Mauro does his Stuffed with Laughter at Nice

Nice Première: So Fabrice, tell us a bit about your Fourres de Rires?

Fabrice Mauro: Well, in 10 days we’re inaugurating the 4th edition of the Fourres de Rire, with joy and good spirits. We’ve put together a festival that you won’t be disappointed with.

5 shows, discovery line-ups of high quality, the Audience Prize awarded by the public and, after Provence, the Fourres de Rire is welcoming Corsica this year.

NP: What will the line-up be for this 2006 edition?

Fabrice Mauro: Each evening is divided into two parts. From 8pm we offer our audience discovery line-ups. Without disrespecting previous participants, I can already say that the level this year is exceptionally good. As a result, designating the winner won’t be an easy task.

Then, regarding the headliners, I think we’re putting together the most balanced, most accomplished and most diverse edition.

In detail, Wednesday the 11th for the opening you’ll see Geneviève Gil on stage. Sketches and humorous songs on the menu of this unclassifiable artist, warmly recommended by a friend… Noelle Perna from Bar des Oiseaux, who will book her immediately at the Oiseaux.

Thursday the 12th we’re welcoming Corsica, I’ll come back to that.

Friday the 13th will bring luck to the one who delighted the audience at the 2005 discovery line-ups. Philippe Marchand, Audience Prize winner of Fourres de Rire 2005 will present his gallery of colorful characters that will definitely remind you of someone you know… Unfortunately for you!! This pastor could have married you, Master Phifou could have taught martial arts to your son… Philippe Marchand will also be the festival’s “Master of Ceremonies.”

Finally, Saturday the 14th and Sunday the 15th (exceptional performance) we’ll be able to applaud an out-of-the-ordinary show. Translated into 5 languages, playing in Paris for 10 years and totaling over 1 million spectators! The phenomenon “Les 3 Jeanne” will finally be on stage in Nice. Not to be missed!

For the record, this immense classic of comedy was written by a Nice native, Eliane Boéri and has never been performed in Nice in this version. We’ll have the opportunity to rectify this oversight.

NP: This year’s guest from Sian d’Aqui is Corsican, and what a Corsican!

Fabrice Mauro: Yes, Corsica, after Provence. Loving your identity doesn’t mean refusing others, quite the opposite, proof of that. That’s why one evening is dedicated to comedy from Corsica with its unmissable number 1 of laughter, Nicou Maraninchi from Théâtre Mascone who will treat us to a selection of his best sketches. I should mention that the show is in French.

And next year? Alsace? Northern France? Southwest? A surprise!

NP: What do you hope for from this 2006 Fourres de Rires?

Fabrice Mauro: To delight the audience. It’s so good to laugh, to see a live show, to hear a room laughing together… I hope that the artists we’re offering will see their fame grow as happens every year (Yvan Challay, Elisabeth Piron, Vincent Trupiano or Philippe Marchand).

NP: How is the Sian d’Aqui association doing?

Fabrice Mauro: Wonderfully, thank you. We just celebrated the 618th anniversary of the surrender in communes of the County. On that occasion we created an exhibition with Editions Serre on the Great dates of the County of Nice from 1388 to today. This exhibition was inaugurated in Falicon, Levens, Saint Etienne de Tinée and Peille. Residents, tourists and of course children will be able to enjoy it. We never forget that our primary mission is to pass on our values and our identity to young people.

NP: Finally, what are the next events for Mauro’s group?

Fabrice Mauro: We’re continuing our meetings with the Nice music world to promote broadcasting on the airwaves. Associated with Nissart Per Tougiou, the association chaired by my friend Jean François Marro, we’re working on organizing a “Nice” music festival for next summer. And then, we’re going to organize two “Charaïssa” – our debates on Nice and sports and another quite surprising one on “Those who don’t deserve to have their names given to a street or building in Nice or the County”. In November an outing to the chestnut festival in Isola and December another outing to Lucéram…

In short, it won’t be tomorrow that we’ll rest… but right now we’re all focused on the 4th Fourres de Rire, to recharge our batteries with positive vibes before continuing our activities.

Sian d’Aqui website: www.sian-daqui.org