Three months during which her decision was met by prejudice, morality and violence in a world shaped by male domination. In her encounter with an “angel maker”, she describes how she felt born as a woman. The necessity of her story only erases one guilt: that this “event” happened to her and that she had not been able, for so long, to write about it and thereby share it.

“There are few authors who do not have an enchanted, distorted, separate vision of reality. Few authors who know how to encapsulate the material fact in a few words without idealising it somewhat. It’s a matter of style. That is how Annie Ernaux writes: she knows how to give an account of reality without capital letters”, says Denis Podalydès, who directs Françoise Gillard in this production. The actress’ performance of the text highlights the importance of what is still unfortunately a contemporary issue. “The silence that still surrounds women who make this choice of abortion has never been so loud. I hope that through Annie Ernaux’s highly personal and intimate language, I will be able to make this little voice head, this cry of ‘Never again!’”

BOOKINGS OPEN IN JANUARY 2020

20 FÉVR 24
Saint-Malo – Théâtre Chateaubriand
Réservations

7 MARS 24
Trappes –Auditorium du Conservatoire de musique et de danse
Réservations

12 MARS 24
Bastia — Fabrique de Théâtre
Réservations

26 MARS 24
Villeneuve d'Ascq — Kino, campus Pont-de-Bois
en partenariat avec l'Université de Lille

THE THEATRICAL PRACTICE OF THE SOLO is relatively new to the Comédie-Française. Ever since the seventeenth century, the institution has defined itself first as a troupe of actors whose collective identity predominates over the expression of individualities. From as early as 1674 this quality was pointed out by Samuel Chappuzeau in his Théâtre Francois, when he compared theatre troupes to political “bodies” that functioned as so many small “Republics”. Commenting on actors, he wrote that “they admit no superiors, the name alone offends them; they all wish to be equal, and call each other comrades”. The motto of the Comédie-Française, Simul et Singulis (be together and be oneself), which appeared in 1682 along with the emblem of the buzzing hive, characterises this philosophy in which each contributes, though his or her own talent, to the collective work.

No solos... only soloists

While the practice of performing alone on stage is not considered a fitting pursuit, the “solo” form of the monologue is highly appreciated by the public, and sometimes staged to showcase the protagonist in all his or her splendour and in contrast with the rest of the troupe. This is an effect of the star system that clearly emerged in the nineteenth century.
Soloist practices most often developed outside of the theatre’s activity. Some actors embarked on personal tours that were sometimes scheduled without regard for the interests of the Comédie-Française –Talma or Rachel were capable of taking off while leaving their comrades in difficulty. They would travel with trunks full of costumes but recruit fill-in actors and find makeshift sets on the spot to perform the great scenes of their repertoire. The performance then resembled a recital of choice excerpts, selected to showcase the actor whose talent was all the more strongly emphasised given that he or she was performing alongside second-class actors if not to say amateurs.
The monologue per se developed at the end of the nineteenth century, thanks to the Coquelin brothers, but today remains an exception. The motto Simul et Singulis, perfectly sums up the indispensable paradox for any actor who is the member of a Troupe.

• Visual : Hive, engraving by Guillaumot fils

Concepted and performed by: Françoise Gillard
Lights design: Stéphanie Daniel
Costumes: Bernadette Villard
Artistic collaboration: Denis Podalydès
Assistant stage manager: Amélie Wendling