A gift for French movie buffs. Wednesday November 6, the Fayard house published a new edition of the text of the play The idiots' dinnerwhich inspired the eponymous film, with annotations by actor Jacques Villeret. The 256 pages of the work are enriched with archive photographs, an alphabet book of comic theater, plans of the stage, those of the sets and unpublished comments from the interpreter of François Pignon, on the gestures, the tones, and emotions of his character.”Send it (this line, editor’s note) more clearly“, “A time of distrust“, “Slam the door“, we can read as indications, written in pencil throughout the scenario.
In the preface to this annotated edition, his son Alexandre Villeret describes the actor's immediate commitment, explaining how he “began to darken the pages“from its first reading, filling approximately 250 sheets of notes.”Thirty years after the creation of the play Le Dîner de cons and twenty years after the death of my father, Jacques Villeret, it is important for me to pay tribute to him and show you behind the scenes of his mind. Because behind the apparent simplicity of my father's game, there is hard work“, he summarizes on the back cover.
“Behind the technique, there is his whole life”
“Between the lines, behind the technique, there is his whole life, the intensity of the rehearsals of a legendary actor, whose every annotation, every gesture testifies to his passion for embodiment, to his dedication to the art of theater and his infinite attachment to the pleasure of the public“, continues to explain Alexandre Villeret who quotes the words of his father: “You were talking about 99% work, 1% talent.“
Remaining on the bill at the Théâtre des Variétés in Paris for more than two years from 1993, Francis Veber's play was a resounding success before being adapted for the cinema in 1998, again by the same author, attracting 9.9 millions of spectators in French cinemas. In the film, Jacques Villeret retains the main role, for which he received the César for best actor in 1999, while Thierry Lhermitte replaces Claude Brasseur in that of Pierre Brochant and Francis Huster slips into the skin of Juste LeBlanc.
