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The Barcelona French theater festival is back for an 8th edition, from January 23 to February 5. A unique opportunity to see the best of the French contemporary scene without leaving the Catalan city.
Photos: Yes! Festival
For its 8th edition, the Oui! invites seven troupes to introduce its audience to pieces never before seen in Spain, in French with surtitles in Catalan or Castilian.
Around themes such as family, the representation of women’s bodies or even migrations, this edition promises to be touching, funny, endearing and, always, striking. “We are told that our plays are engaged, in fact it is contemporary theater which is there to make us laugh, to cry, but also to ask us questions, to push us to think”festival co-founder Mathilde Mottier tells Equinox. There will be something for all tastes, all ages and even all addresses, since certain pieces will be performed in L’Hospitalet or Castelldefels.
With a special mention for the closing piece “Passeport”, which was a hit in France and will have its first performance abroad as part of the Barcelona festival. Its author and director Alexis Michalik, holder of five Molière awards, participated in the first edition of Oui! and is particularly happy to present his piece on the shores of the Mediterranean, a central element of his theme. The circle is closed.
Festival plays
“The big day” – 01/23 – French Institute of Barcelona
“Do you become an adult when your mother dies? »
Eight actors and actresses take us through the turpitudes of siblings struggling with the banquet of unsaid words, in a family ballet around an all-powerful mother. A waltz of neuroses, a frantic dance, all drawn from unconditional love and scathing humor.
“The glass child” – 26/01 – Plaza Theater (Castelldefells)
A luminous fable, on the borders of the fantastic, ‘The Glass Child’ draws its inspiration from a subject that concerns us all: the family, its secrets and its unsaid things. A plateau of white sand. Seven vertical mirrors without tint obscure, reveal… Costumes fall apart…
A contrasting musical universe combines percussion, piano and electronic instruments. Carried by seven actors, the piece weaves a theatrical, visual, choreographic score and summons a profoundly liberating word.
“To be or not to be born” – 01/28 – French Institute of Barcelona
Nadine and Lisa are two young actresses who evolve in a society where their bodies and what they represent are always spit in their faces. No, they do not fit into the norm, no, they are not what society would like them to be.
A true ode to self-acceptance, ‘To be or not to be born’ advocates a world where the norm no longer exists in favor of more open mentalities and more unlimited dreams.
“Sorry, I forgot my dreams” – 29/01- Auditori Barradas (L’Hospitalet de llobregat)
A playful, sensitive and profound journey of two clowns who play and challenge the public to caress the fears, the forgetfulness and the doubts that make us escape our dreams.
Céleste aka Catherine Chauveau and Gaïa aka Fabienne Chauveau have been sisters for some time! Rich in experiences around creativity and creation, they naturally gave birth to the Clown Conscience duo.
“The confession of the Princess of Cleves” – 30/01 – French Institute of Barcelona
In a play on the confession of the theater, the Director suggests that the Actor and the Author try out the dialogue between Madame de La Fayette and Monsieur de La Rochefoucauld on the subject of ‘The confession of the Princess of Clèves’.
He adds the music and sounds creating the soundtrack of the future film, the summary of which would be: Married at 16 to the Prince of Cleves (40 years old), the young Princess falls in love with the brilliant Duke of Nemours but refuses to cheat on her husband , she confesses her desire to him, and when he dies, free, she nevertheless renounces the man she loves… But why?… This remains one of the most astonishing enigmas of the French novel…
« Rimbaud, Cavalcades » – 02/02 – Royal Cercle Artistic
A graphic designer in full burnout, Romuald left everything behind. He tells us about his journey and how Arthur Rimbaud saved his life. A show full of poetry and music in which Romain Puyuelo plays all the characters…
“Passport” – 05/02 – Casino Aliança de Poblenou (Barcelona)
Issa wakes up, in the Calais camp, with the only clue to his identity, his passport, Eritrean.
Passeport is the story of Issa, Arun and Ali, three refugees from the Calais camp, an Eritrean, a Tamil Indian, a Syrian. They come from three distant countries, which we don’t necessarily know very well. We just know that they don’t speak French.
Other activities
In addition to the plays, other events around theatrical art are organized, such as a reading competition open to native speakers as well as French learners, meetings with directors or literary dialogues around “Els contrabandistes de llibres de Daraya” after Delphine Minoui and “Teoria King Kong” after Virginie Despentes.
More information, tickets and reservations on the Oui! website. Festival.
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