Unusual scene. Spectators shout at each other as they leave a play. On March 19, the Théâtre de la Ville was as full as an egg for “Bérénice”, with Isabelle Huppert in the lead role, in a production by Romeo Castellucci. The poster is tempting, even if the critics have tempered the enthusiasm: “
We have undoubtedly, mortal sin, captured nothing from this adaptation
” recognized our colleague Anthony Palou, a lucky spectator from the first hour of this original creation . So we know what to expect. But not in such a fight!
The play begins and unsurprisingly, apart from some beautiful visual effects, part of the audience is bored. On stage, Isabelle Huppert monologues with conviction, bringing on stage sometimes a radiator, sometimes a washing machine. His voice, modified by a synthesizer, becomes metallic at times and, frankly, less and less comprehensible. After three quarters of an hour, a few people left the room. My front neighbor seems exasperated.
General hilarity
After an hour, Titus left Bérénice, and the actress began to bully the alexandrines, stuttering on stage. Is there anything to understand? No doubt, but it's too much for my emotional neighbor. He yells:
“We don’t understand anything you’re saying, Isabelle!”
Part of the room is outraged.
“But be quiet”
, “
Silence!
". A few names of birds are dropped. Isabelle Huppert continues, imperturbable. But a dam has been broken.
A few moments later, a dozen naked men have just dropped their pants on stage, and the actress looks stoically at the room, in great silence. The moment is probably tragic: a spectator bursts out laughing. Hilarity grips the room. She doesn't stop until the final scene.
“Don’t look at me!”
screams this strange Bérénice several times. My immediate neighbor tries in vain to contain his laughter.
The performance turns squarely into the Battle of Hernani during the final salute, with spectators beginning to boo the troupe copiously. Others stand up and applaud wildly.
“Bravo Isabelle, you are sublime
!
".
“Choose your texts better
,” shouts a seemingly compassionate woman. Boldly, the actress returns to the stage three times, staring at us with an air of defiance.
When the lights come back on, the show continues: my neighbors behind start insulting the one in front. How dare he address Isabelle Huppert like this? And why did he come from elsewhere, since he knew what he was coming to see?
“You are Parisian bobos
,” he tells them. Fortunately a line separates them: the two camps are not far from coming to blows. Even on the boulevard, discussions are going well.
“You don't understand anything
,” says an old connoisseur to young people who dare to question the point of such a monologue. “
It’s genius!” A real adaptation! From the great Castellucci!
»
Did the public really not want to understand anything that evening, as two writers were quick to assert in a column in
Libération
, a few hours later? Or did part of the public simply find themselves trapped in front of this particularly confusing adaptation? After setting the Parisian theater on fire,
Bérénice
must go on tour throughout France. The opportunity for everyone to see it: if theater is indeed a living art, the show, sometimes, is also in the room...