We met with Maxime Riou to learn more about his new project!
Originally from Var, and after living there for 20 years, Maxime Riou wanted to seize the opportunities of Parisian life and work in the media. He worked, among other roles, as a journalist at Europe 1, deputy editor-in-chief at “Touche pas à mon poste!” and as a columnist on various shows such as on NRJ with Cauet, on C8 with Camille Combal, or with Stéphane Bern on France 2.
After 10 years in Paris, he decided to return to the South, a region he is particularly fond of, without a specific project, but with the desire to shake things up a bit in the region: “I think we have a great setting, but there’s still a lot to do.”
What is the T’choup Comedy Club?
An itinerant troupe of 100% Azurean young talents performing in various unusual places in the city of Nice.
“It’s a hit in Paris and there isn’t one here,” he told us.
Upon arriving in Nice, Maxime met Steeve Bonnet, his partner in this project, founder and owner of L’Authentique Pizzeria. A pure Nicois, he is well-connected in the city and therefore has a true Nicois network.
He also knows the identity and mentality of the locals, which allowed them to understand the expectations of the people from Nice, which are completely different from those in Paris.
So, Steeve handles more of the administrative, legal, and financial aspects; as for Maxime, he focuses on the artistic side.
Maxime and Steeve play the role of supporting comedians, with the desire to create a family: “We need them and they need us.”
The essence of the project came with the desire to bring something new, noticing that there are few “popular” cultural offerings, meaning those for a larger audience, in Nice.
A troupe of young talents?
Thus, they cast comedians to create a troupe, currently of about 10-15 talents, who perform in venues different from the usual ones. These comedians each have their own distinct and different universe, a real identity.
“These comedians just want one thing, which is to perform.” The T’choup Comedy Club can thus be a real springboard for them.
Unusual venues?
Performances will take place in unusual or emblematic locations in Nice, places with a true identity: “The promise is to offer the unusual, to have stand-up in places where you don’t necessarily expect stand-up,” he said.
The first two dates took place in bar-restaurants.
However, the coming months will offer beautiful surprises with upcoming dates in even more surprising locations such as a castle or Cap 3000.
This is also their added value, not just performing in the same venue.
The T’choup Comedy Club has generated great enthusiasm; the first two dates at La Cave de Papa on February 5 and at Ornato on February 10 were sold out within 24 hours.
The audience, predominantly young, has been very receptive and warmly welcomed this new project.
Next date on February 24 at La Boulisterie!
What can we wish for the T’choup Comedy Club in the future?
In the long term, their goal would be to have their own permanent Comedy Club, while still continuing to tour in unusual locations, because let’s remember, that’s the heart of the project.
A lot of great things are therefore to come for these two partners and their troupe; the dates sell out very quickly, and there are already enthusiasts of the T’choup Comedy Club, faithful to each date offered.
