“Starmania” takes a “break”, Thomas Jolly talks about his regrets after staging the show

MUSIC – A mixed end to the year for the French director. After several years of difficulty putting together the new musical comedy of Starmaniaa thunderous success across France and several French-speaking countries with no less than 361 performances, the show will experience a forced break. To the great dismay of Thomas Jolly who designed the show before tackling the Olympic ceremonies.

As indicated The Parisian this Sunday, December 29, it was on December 17 − through a simple press release − that the troop of Starmania announced its desire to “takes a break after an exceptional tour”. Tour which will end this Sunday during a very last concert given in Marseille, after bringing together 1.2 million spectators.

A suspension which does not signify the definitive end of the show inspired by the famous rock opera created in 1979 by Luc Plamondon and Michel Berger. For his co-producer Aurélien Binder, it is indeed a necessary “break”, after “ two particularly intense years and incredible success”. The reason(s)? According to the producer, it is mainly about “not to exhaust the troupe (…) but also the public”.

“It’s the end of the French-speaking chapter, but it’s not the end quite simply. We store all the equipment for the future »he adds, without giving a resumption date. The end of a chapter, therefore, that Thomas Jolly visibly has difficulty understanding according to his confidences in the newspaper.

Thomas Jolly « sad and a little haggard »

She even arrives at a somewhat abrupt moment ”, according to him. The opportunity to settle accounts a little with the production of Starmaniaof which he is the director. “ I created and directed this show but for a year, the production has kept me very far from its decisions, from the changes in distribution, which I don't really understand.abonde Thomas Jolly.

Because from his point of view, he saw the musical spectacle turning “ five or six years “. And not just a year and dust. The first real date of this “ revival ” of Starmania took place on November 8, 2023 at the Seine Musicale in Paris. “ I learned like you that there was a break with this press release. And I didn't expect it », Also confides the designer of the four ceremonies (opening and closing) of the Paris Games.

The director goes even further, saying to himself “ sad and a little haggard » after this announcement. A frustration fueled by the great success of Starmania since its launch, which therefore deprives the public of new representations. “ He turns the rooms upside down, people crowd around and applaud wildly. There is really a mystery, as if there was an obstacle to achieving its goal of greater sharing and continuing to play, because I believe that there are still people who want to see it. »

In the meantime, the show is discreetly preparing its international transformation, in a version necessarily adapted for a foreign audience (particularly Asian). “ I have been carrying this project since 2019, it is more than the Olympic ceremonies. I will be there for the rest “, however confirms Thomas Jolly, happy to see Starmania “ travel abroad ».

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