Thomas Jolly likes to take on titanic challenges.
He is currently in Nice working on a new staging of
Starmania,
the rock opera by Michel Berger and Jean-Luc Plamondon.
Inspired by Shakespeare, he intends to give a facelift to this
"monument closed to the public"
for forty years.
In other words, he handles dynamite.
But probably nothing next to the new task he inherited on Thursday.
The French Olympic Committee has just appointed him to the artistic direction of the ceremonies of the Paris 2024 games. Not enough to scare this child prodigy from the French stages.
In June, Thomas Jolly presented
Henry VI
and
Richard III,
two plays by Shakespeare staged in a 24-hour marathon show, on the national stage in Angers, which he has directed since 2020. He brilliantly embodied the last king of England from the House of York.
All spectators will remember his staging of
Fantasio
at the Châtelet or that of
Thyeste,
by Sénèque, in the main courtyard of the Palais des Papes in Avignon (2018).
As well as his sensational operatic debut with
Eliogabalo,
a rare work by Francesco Cavalli (2016).
Read alsoA last drink with Thomas Jolly
This baroque career has led him today to take the lead in the great event that is the ceremonies of the Paris Olympics.
"It's amazing that a child of the public theater, as is often said,
commits to events of this dimension, believes Jean-Robert Charrier, head of the Porte Saint-Martin theater.
He is one of the non-dividing personalities, he claims to come from the public, but without any disdain for the private theater.
Thyeste,
by Seneca, in Avignon during the 2018 festival. Boris HORVAT / AFP
Everything Thomas Jolly touches turns to gold.
This boy born in Rouen in 1982 is now in demand both in France and abroad.
According to Jean-Robert Charrier, the appointment of Thomas Jolly for the Olympics is then
"logical".
“He has this intelligence of the spectacular, his bets are intended for the greatest number,
he believes.
He has a recognizable paw among all.
His name in
Starmania
is one of the big arguments that makes us go see him.
Read also
Richard III
, the fabulous rock opera by Thomas Jolly
In fifteen years and a little less than shows, the interested party - whose inventive spirit is matched only by his generosity - has gone from shadow to light.
In high school, he had taken the theater option.
He continues with the conservatory and the school of the National Theater of Brittany.
He is an attentive student in the classes of three sizes of the director: Claude Régy, Jean-François Sivadier and Stanislas Nordey.
By creating his own company in 2006, at the age of 24, Thomas Jolly distinguished himself with a first show at the Impatience festival at the Odéon-Théâtre de l'Europe: with his Piccolia Familia, he performed
Arlequin poli par l'amour,
by Marivaux .
Packed by his audacity, Olivier Py will invite him to the Avignon festival.
of Shakespeare, eighteen hours of an extraordinary spectacle.
Whatever he undertakes, Thomas Jolly never forgets his beginnings as an actor, insists on giving way to the text.
“Humanly, he is very invested in his work,
admires Jean-Robert Charrier.
Very cash, and at the same time attentive, open to discussion.”
Passionate and feverish, spring-loaded, Thomas Jolly tackles summits with constantly renewed pleasure.
And he is on track to win another gold medal in 2024.