N.P: You are a jack-of-all-trades: singer, actress, and now comedian. How did you come up with the idea for your one-woman show “La folle parenthèse”?
Liane Foly: From a young age, I engaged in various disciplines: dance, music theory, piano, singing. I was accustomed to the stage from an early age. My parents raised me to pursue a career “the American way,” where you need to be skilled at everything. Imitation is a gift I also possessed very early on. My show, “Folle parenthèse,” is the result of many years of work and lived experiences. It developed over time and matured.
N.P: You switch from one impersonation to another for 2 hours. Isn’t it too complicated to transition through 35 different voices?
L.F: No because it’s a story about Muriel Robin who arrives to organize the opening night of her gay friend Pedro’s cabaret. A whole series of their female friends will come: singers, actresses, comedians. In this show, I pay tribute to women. You are transported in a one-woman show as if in a musical play, with two musicians with me on stage. It includes humor and impersonation, but people don’t come to see Liane Foly the singer. It’s a unique spectacle in my life. “La folle parenthèse” is a surprise I wanted to give my audience, an audience that differs from the one at my concerts.
N.P: Do some voices require more work than others?
L.F: All voices require work. When I want to impersonate someone, I watch videos and pictures. There are some voices that don’t come easily; in those cases, I don’t insist (laughs).
N.P: Is there a voice you particularly enjoy doing?
L.F: It’s very curious to get into someone’s skin; it’s another dimension and sometimes it’s very unsettling. Imitation involves mimicking the voice, gestures, walk, rhythm, and lifestyle of the person.
N.P: What has been your fans’ reaction to this show that deviates from your usual artist’s role?
L.F: The show surprised many people. When I started two years ago in June 2007, at the Théâtre Marigny, everyone was curious about what to expect, and it ended up being recognized as something successful.
N.P: Are you apprehensive about the end of this show?
L.F: I’ll be quite sad, but at the same time, it’s a great start and I don’t want to leave this kind of performance at all. It has allowed me to be more solicited for cinema and television roles. I’ve acted in the TV series RIS, a telefilm with Eric Cantona for TF1, and currently, I am filming with Claude Lelouch in Romania. This movie is a wonderful experience. Claude contacted me after seeing my show “Folle parenthèse,” and I think it’s fantastic. In France, we tend to label people, but I think I can do many different things. It requires a lot of work, control, and mental health, but I enjoy it. Even though I am working on an upcoming album, I also have projects in cinema and theater. If I were to return to singing alone, I would get bored.
N.P: You encompass talents as a singer, actress, and comedian. Which of these gives you the most pleasure?
L.F: With “La folle parenthèse”, I got to do all three. I sing, act, make people laugh, and dance on stage. My voice has always been my favorite instrument, and I realized this very young. And then it helps to have been born into a happy family of musicians!
N.P: On July 14th, France Télévision will broadcast a show where VIPs are fully immersed in an army unit. You went to a training camp in the North. How was that experience for you?
L.F: For those who won’t be in front of their screen on July 14th, you absolutely must record this show. It was filmed at the Invalides, an incredible place where no show had ever been filmed before. It also reveals the behind-the-scenes of the French army and the young soldiers. These young people moved me deeply. The average age is 19. They enlist to save lives with exceptional courage. I went to Sissonne in the North (Aisne), to a military training camp. I was very moved when I left the camp, feeling as if I’d been slapped. And then you realize that war is not far off, it exists. All these young people are saints, like those in medical professions: doctors, firefighters. They are truly remarkable people. I couldn’t travel far because I was on tour. Gérard Darmon was in Kabul, Nâdiya and Hélène Segara also went.
N.P: You will be in Nice on August 7th at the Théâtre de Verdure. Do you have a special affection for this city?
L.F: I came to Nice very early. I started singing at the age of 12 and have sung several times on the French Riviera. My parents live in Cannes, so I know the area well. As a child, I would walk on the Promenade des Anglais, dreaming in front of the Hotel Negresco, and I also enjoy Old Nice. The Théâtre de Verdure is beautiful, and I think there will be a great atmosphere, especially during the summer season.
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