"For reasons beyond our control, the performances on June 11 at the Carré des Docks in Le Havre and on June 14 at the Phare de Chambéry are cancelled. We sincerely regret these cancellations. It is through this press release, relayed by the theaters, that the production Becker's Prod informed the Norman and Savoyard spectators that Gérard Depardieu would not finally come to sing Barbara at home. Exit therefore the 8th and 9th dates out of the ten that counted this umpteenth tour of the show that the actor presents since 2017 in the company of Gérard Daguerre, recurring pianist of the "Lady in Black".
A tour for the least heckled since the spring and the publication of a long article of Mediapart detailing the repeated sexual violence of which the actor, also indicted for rape, is accused. In Toulouse, but also in Lille, where the start of the show was delayed, in Lyon again, where the show was even interrupted for a few moments.
Almost every time, Depardieu was greeted by protest demonstrations. Again this Saturday (June 10), at the Palais des Congrès in Tours, it was eagerly awaited by a collective of associations such as the Indre-et-Loire Feminist Network and local political groups (communists, ecologists, NPA).
"These radical feminists have the right to protest. We and Gérard Depardieu have the right to play and work."
In Tours, tags implicating the actor or proclaiming "No to rape culture" had previously been inscribed on the façade and in the streets near the theater. Between 60 and 80 people, very uplifted, gathered noisily on Saturday late afternoon, in front of the station of Tours, with the desire "to make the spectators think and, why not, to prevent the holding of the concert", explained a feminist activist, heated white. The viral slogan, "Depardieu, the black eagle, it's you!" was also copiously chanted, increasing the pressure. In front of stunned passers-by, a cordon of police, impassive, intervened at the entrance of the Palais des congrès. This did not prevent insults and middle fingers from pouring between the public and the demonstrators.
"The pressure from feminist radicals and other disruptors has nothing to do with these two cancellations," says David Becker, head of Becker's Prod. "On these two dates, the overall cost, room, set, rentals, travel, was high. We sold 1,300 tickets on both dates. It was still missing a hundred places to be in balance. I preferred to cancel," he explains. A decision made "in order to respect the financial costs that I imposed on myself from the beginning."
Read alsoGérard Depardieu accused of sexual violence: is the actor grilled or untouchable?
On the other hand, the actor and his pianist will perform well this Thursday, June 15 at CEPAC Silo in Marseille, tenth and last date of the tour "which was intense artistically and moving humanly, bringing together more than 8,000 spectators," says the producer. "We are full. There are only the places with reduced visibility that we preferred to withdraw from the sale, "he says.
"Gérard is fine, I'm fine, the tour is not cancelled, thank you," Gérard Daguerre whispered politely on the phone when we called him on Sunday (June 11). The producer had remained silent on Sunday, answering us on Monday, in writing. "My opinion as a citizen: I am shocked by the situation. The presumption of innocence is a right, not respecting it is a crime, he believes. Gérard Depardieu remains in the background so as not to interfere with the legal proceedings that are underway. These radical feminists have the right to demonstrate. We and Gérard Depardieu have the right to play and work. »