Starmaniathe musical which brought together 1.2 million spectators in just two years, is taking a break after its triumphant tour. However, this break comes abruptly, leaving a bitter taste in the mouths of some, starting with director Thomas Jolly, according to information from the Parisian. After investing two years of hard work and millions of euros in the reintroduction of rock opera on stage, he now seems taken by surprise by the decision to stop the tour, even though the success of the production exceeds all expectations.
It all started on November 8, 2023, after two years of delays due to the pandemic. Starmania finally made its comeback at the Seine Musicale, in Paris, in a version entirely redesigned by Thomas Jolly. And despite the fears of the technical teams and producers – all in a fragile economic context – the show was a hit. In a few months, the theaters filled up, the critics went wild, and the public quickly fell under the spell of this ambitious revival of the masterpiece by Michel Berger and Luc Plamondon. But while we could have imagined that this tour would have lasted longer, on December 17, 2024, a simple press release announced the end of the adventure, after 361 performances and this Sunday, December 29, last concert in Marseille.
An unexpected decision and palpable frustration
If the public is stunned by the announcement of this break, Thomas Jolly seems much more than surprised. “ I learned like you that there was a break with this press release », he confides, visibly destabilized. For him, Starmania should not stop after just one year of success. The director, who had imagined a tour which would have lasted five to six years, today finds himself on the sidelines, not understanding why the production made such a decision, apart from all his know-how.
Indeed, after such success, the reasons justifying this pause are not very clear. On the one hand, the production speaks of an “exceptional tour”, and on the other, Jolly denounces increasingly distant management on the part of the producers, who excluded him from certain crucial decisions concerning distribution and direction artistic of the project. The director seems to have had the feeling of not having complete control over his own show, a lack of control that he deplores. “ For a year, production has kept me very far from its decisions “, he explains, a frustration that becomes even stronger when we think of the immense success that this version of Starmania.
An abrupt end for an explosive revival
It is therefore a Starmania in great shape which suddenly stops, just when everything seemed to be going well. This “revival” not only respected the legacy of the original show, but it also reinvented the musical for a modern audience. Thomas Jolly, who also participated as master of ceremonies for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, expressed his feeling of sadness and confusion after this announcement. “ Sad and a little haggard “, these are the words he uses to describe his state of mind, that of a man who has seen his work crowned with success, but who nevertheless has to say goodbye to this adventure far too soon for his liking.
