“Libé” guides you through the pieces or dance shows to see, in Paris or in the regions. Also featuring: circus, with “Ombres porte” by Raphaëlle Boitel, and dance with “According to a true story…” by Christian Rizzo.
To help our readers navigate the abundant cultural offerings, journalists from the Culture department of Libé clear the ground and deliver to you the essentials of what they liked in the news of film releases, albums, plays and shows, series and books. And every Saturday, our top 10 of the week, all disciplines combined. Find our selections.
Cirque
“Cast Shadows” by Raphaëlle Boitel
The director continues to want to expand the scope of the circus, by mixing theater, dance and music in a meritorious and ambitious show, even if unfinished. An elegant fragmented story around a father and his children.
Shadows cast, by Raphaëlle Boitel, Théâtre Silvia Monfort, 75015, until November 23, then on tour (Creil, Gap, Château-Arnoux, Marseille, Lyon).
Theater
“In your interior” by Julia Perazzini
Julia Perazzini explores the identity of an absent and paradoxical grandfather in a room with drawers. Did theater begin in documentary mode? It continues as a superbly visual installation and develops into a one-woman show – in the terrifying tradition of Zouc – with a mind-blowing gallery of characters.
In your interior by Julia Perazzini, until November 23, Théâtre Public de Montreuil – CDN. From January 22 to 25, 2025, Théâtre Saint-Gervais, Geneva (CH)
“The next time you bite the dust”, according to Panayotis Pascot
At the Petit Saint-Martin theater in Paris, the adaptation of the comedian’s sagacious best-seller, directed by his brother, draws its strength from a relaxed Vassili Schneider. The lively phrasing and speaking of the author in the middle of the manipulation of his adolescent sutures in the book is seen put on like a glove by the actor who forcefully strings together the thoughts out loud, settling scores with the father.
Next time you bite the dust, directed by Paul Pascot with Vassili Schneider and Yann Pradal, 1 hour 30 minutes, at the Théâtre du Petit Saint-Martin (75010) until March 8.
“Based on a true story…” by Christian Rizzo
Ten years after its creation at the Avignon Festival, the French choreographer reprises his hit Based on a true story…, sublime spectacle performed by dancers from around the Mediterranean. This key piece of the contemporary repertoire has brought in its wake a wave of creations eyeing like it towards trance and the exhumation of ancient gestures, transmitted from generation to generation far from established classes. As the Middle East burns and America celebrates the reign of virilism, this entirely male play, about the dream of brotherhood, resonates loudly with current events.
Based on a true story… by Christian Rizzo, November 23 in Béziers, November 26 in Albi, then 2025 tour in Angers, Périgueux, Colombes, etc.
“The Seagull” by Chekhov, directed by Stéphane Braunschweig
By choosing to anchor Chekhov’s play in an indefinite contemporary, the director reveals the prophetic turn of this text written in 1895: it is about the sixth extinction that the young Konstantin, playwright doomed to failure, speaks to us, facing his elders who snub him and are ironic. In this beautiful desolate setting, it is no longer the end of a society but the end of a world that Anton Chekhov speaks to us about.
The Seagull by Anton Tchekhov (translation André Markowicz and Françoise Morvan), directed by Stéphane Braunschweig. Until December 22 at the Odéon (75006).
“BIRD” by Anna Nozière
It’s a children’s show that speaks with finesse and humor about death, the dead and the way in which most of us ignore them. Mustapha’s father is dead. With all the other children at school who have lost a loved one, or a beloved animal, Mustapha will set up a big brotherhood at school – “If you love your dead, come with us” –, organize a big party in the cemetery, with surimi and Oreos, graffiti the walls (“Police everywhere, our dead nowhere”) and leave, at night, to find those who are no longer there. Under the forbidden gaze of adults.
BIRD by Anna Nozière, November 20 and 21 at the Jean-François Voguet theater in Fontenay-sous-Bois, November 28 to 30 at the Fil de l’eau theater in Pantin, December 10 and 11 at the Jean-Vilar theater in Vitry sur Seine, then in 2025 in Verdun, Angers, Nanterre, Sartrouville, Lorient, Marseille…
“On the other shore” after Chekhov, by Cyril Teste
Both a great evening on stage and a film performance, the liberated adaptation of Platonov by Chekhov reveals the banally monstrous relationships of the characters.
On the other shore, based on “Platonov” by Chekhov, directed by Cyril Teste, on November 26 at the Equinoxe in Châteauroux, then in December in Amiens, Mans, Roubaix…
“The English Lover” by Marguerite Duras with Sandrine Bonnaire
The actress returns to the theater in a play by Marguerite Duras based on a news story where she wonderfully embodies a woman who searches with her interrogator for the motives of an assassination she committed.
The English Lover by Marguerite Duras, directed by Jacques Osinski at the Théâtre de l’Atelier (75018) until December 31, then on tour.
“The Suicide” by Stéphane Varupenne
Directed by Stéphane Varupenne, Nicolaï Erdman’s play, censored in 1930, paints the portrait of a Stalinist society which had every reason to suppress itself. Too caricatured.
The Suicide, directed by Stéphane Varupenne, at the Comédie-Française until February 2.
“Square root of the verb to be” by Wajdi Mouawad
Wajdi Mouawad reprises a play already performed at the Hill. Through five characters who become one, the director tells the fate of a Lebanese family devastated by the explosion of August 4, 2020 in Beirut. The brilliance of the staging and the abundance of trajectories make us forget some of the heaviness of the writing.
Square root of the verb to be, text and direction by Wajdi Mouawad, at the Théâtre de la Colline (75020) until December 22.
“Lacrima” by Caroline Guiela Nguyen
Between Paris, Mumbai and Alençon, the director retraces the making of a princess’s wedding dress. His show is a feat, an ample, popular choral story of rare precision.
Tear by Caroline Guiela Nguyen, at the Comédie de Reims from November 20 to 21, at the Théâtre du Nord in Lille from December 7 to 11, at the Scène nationale de Douai on December 18 and 19, at the Odéon in Paris from January 7. to Feb. 6 2025…
Danse
“Routade” by Olivia Grandville
Seven dancers deconstruct the assignments linked to their gender. An applied choreography which poorly masks a lack of originality on a theme that has been discussed many times.
Stampede by Olivia Grandville, Chaillot on November 30 at the Liberté theater in Toulon, January 18 at the Equinoxe in Châteauroux.
Alone on stage
“The End of the Beginning” by Solal Bouloudnine
In his childhood bedroom recreated on stage, Solal Bouloudnine plunges, through an exciting gallery of characters, into his 90s haunted by the death of Michel Berger.
The End of the Beginning by Solal Bouloudnine at the Lepic theater (75018) every Monday, Tuesday at 9 p.m., and Sundays at 7:30 p.m. Until January 5.
Musical
“La Haine” by Mathieu Kassovitz and Serge Denoncourt
Transposed into the France of Bardella and “Justice for Adama” with an ultra-unifying ambition, carried live by young rappers and breakers, the work of Mathieu Kassovitz sets the room ablaze again, thirty years after its cinema release. very mixed musical Seine.
Hate, so far nothing has changed, artistic direction and direction by Mathieu Kassovitz and Serge Denoncourt at the Seine musicale (92100) until January 5, November 15 and 16 in Lyon then on a national tour.
Find all movie, series, music selections…from the culture department.
