See Hamlet
performed
in your neighborhood kebab shop or participate in the creation of a play?
To attract a “distant” population, theaters go beyond the conventional framework to return to the source of a popular practice.
To discover
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At the La Commune theater in Aubervilliers, in Seine-Saint-Denis, the cultural returns follow one another with always the same observation: a Parisian audience.
To remedy “this problem”, the national drama center (CDN) subsidized by the state “
invented a format: the current affairs piece
”, explains its former director Marie-José Malis, at the head of La Commune for 10 years (2014-2024).
“
Known artists create commissioned pieces especially for Aubervilliers twice a year
,” explains the artist.
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This is how the Spanish-Argentinian director Rodrigo Garcia strolled through this Parisian suburban town and observed that “
the poorest people are the most foreign to the question of culture
”, reports Marie-José Malis .
Crossing the main avenue, the scenographer passes around ten kebab shops on his route and sets the scene to play
Hamlet
with professional and amateur actors, all broadcast live in the cinema.
“
It may not be a miracle recipe, but the population has become accustomed to the fact that there are regular ads saying
“if you want to take part in a play or if you have things to tell us, come see us
,” rejoices its former director.
A migrant squat served as the basis for a creation and the current topical piece at La Commune,
Auberlywood
, is a nod to the city's Indian community.
Directed by the Franco-Indian Koumarane Valavane, the play “
probes the dream lives
” of the inhabitants of Aubervilliers with a Bollywood twist.
“
Theater must be seen as a public service
,” believes Julia Vidit, head of the Théâtre de la Manufacture in Nancy (Meurthe-et-Moselle).
“
Am I playing for everyone or a white audience?
It’s a question that drives me
,” she confides.
Trestle theater
The CDN Nancy Lorraine plays the card of artistic roaming in the department and presents its creations in neighborhoods, villages, nursing homes, schools... “
The goal is not to go to poor neighborhoods and say that afterwards they will come to the theater.
The important thing is that they have theater experience
,” says Ms. Vidit.
“
People far from the theater have a very beautiful idea of it but their lives bury them under a ton of problems.
In Aubervilliers, people have a precarious life, women get up at 4 a.m. to go and clean the offices.
Theater is not their concern
,” analyzes Ms. Malis.
She wants more productions “
outside the walls
”, “
trestle theater on the squares of cities
”.
Associating amateurs with artistic creations also makes it possible to meet “
a new audience in the theater (...) A link is created with the place and becomes a meeting place for groups of friends
,” notes Julia Vidit.
To try to diversify their audience, theaters also offer afternoon plays or a daycare system.
In Blanc-Mesnil (Seine-Saint-Denis), the mayor, irritated by the programming deemed “bobo” of his theater empty of its administrators, fired his management to produce more entertainment there.
“
It is important to remember that you can have fun with an orchestra or a boulevard theater.
I offer
Muriel Robin
like jazz concerts
,” explains the new manager, Philippe Bellot.
Young people from the city can also attend or participate in improvisation.
Nearly 60% of the commune's theater audience resides in Seine-Saint-Denis and Seine-et-Marne.
“
Theatrical culture and history in Middle Ages France were primarily oriented towards the populations.
They were big parties, people were getting involved in the stories, there were scenes of jubilation happening all over the city
,” explains Nabil Berrehil, actor in the play
Auberlywood
.
For the actor, “
a disconnection occurred today, with many of us, and that does not pay homage to what theater essentially is
.”