The Nice National Theatre (TNN) unveiled its new 2025–26 season this Tuesday, June 10. On the programme of what is described as “a season full of colour”: great theatrical classics, ambitious productions, and events beyond the theatre walls — all with a strong focus on young audiences.
“If some branches become tangled in the forest, the roots are solid and embrace beneath the earth,” declared Muriel Mayette-Holtz, the theatre’s director, during the presentation of the new season. A metaphor reflecting the institution’s long-term work, particularly in education for young people and artistic renewal. The upcoming programme, officially titled “A Season Full of Colour”, was revealed to the public on Tuesday.
Classics Reimagined for Today
Phèdre, The Marriage of Figaro, Gargantua, Tartuffe… The Nice National Theatre remains faithful to its foundations. Timeless classics continue to dominate the programme — with a twist. Many of these masterpieces are revisited through a contemporary lens, with a deliberate choice to entrust them to young directors and their modern interpretations.
“Young people must take ownership of these great texts, in a contemporary way,” explained Muriel Mayette-Holtz. “I’m delighted to stage them with a sense of modernity.” She cited Gargantua as an example: “It feels good to be immersed in excess, in Gargantua’s appetite and abundance. It’s not always easy to put Rabelais in front of young people, but once you give these texts a body, they want to explore them.”
For the 2025–26 season, the TNN will present two in-house productions (Phèdre and Gargantua), alongside twenty-two co-productions.
Bold and Challenging Works
Theatre is also about stepping outside the ordinary. This is illustrated by a diptych by Swedish playwright Lars Norén, who passed away in 2021. Through Lost and Found and Love Is So Simple, the themes of the couple and the family are examined from a sharp, unsettling angle.
“It’s formidable. Ferocious,” said Mayette-Holtz. “Between truth and unspoken tensions, it’s terrible — and it makes you laugh because it’s terrible.”
Among the season’s more daring productions is also Fear and Misery of the Third Reich by Bertolt Brecht, directed by Julie Duclos. Set in the late 1930s, the play explores the rise of fascism and its corrosive impact on trust and human relationships. Themes of censorship and fear resonate strongly with today’s world.
Theatre Beyond the Stage
The TNN continues to expand its reach beyond traditional performances. Among the highlights: Les Contes d’apéro, running from July 7 to August 3, 2025, every evening in front of the TNN kiosk at the Coulée Verte — a must-attend summer gathering.
Regular events also return, including Literary Thursdays and Trials of Great Historical Figures from October to May. Other popular formats remain on the programme, such as Intimate Conversations with journalist Catherine Ceylac, and Nissa Slam with spoken-word artist Jacky Ido.
The Festival of Tragedies (June 18 to July 5) and the summer regional tour also remain key moments of the season.
A Season Dedicated to Young Audiences
“We work closely with schools and teachers, but we also want families to come,” explained Ella Perrier, Deputy Director of the TNN. “We’ve noticed that some people have negative memories of theatre trips with school. But when children come with their parents, it’s different — it becomes a lasting experience. That’s why we’re continuing our young audience programme.”
Among the productions aimed at younger viewers are visually rich and dynamic works such as Fusées by Jeanne Candel, Mythos by Yiorgos Karakantzas, and Je suis trop vert, the third instalment of David Lescot’s series.
“It’s absolutely urgent to engage our children with theatre,” added Muriel Mayette-Holtz. “It’s a school of life. We can’t let them grow up solely within the fictional world of images.”
Muriel Mayette-Holtz and Ella Perrier will present the season to the general public this evening at La Salle de la Cuisine. The full programme is also available on the TNN website. Ticket sales open Wednesday, June 11, at 10 a.m.
