A sign of the times, for the first time this year, the question of incest will cross over into one of the shows at Méli'môme, the festival for young audiences in Reims which begins this Tuesday, April 2 and lasts until April 16. Of course, pleasure, sharing and beauty will be, like every year for more than 30 years, on the menu of the always poetic programming reserved for little ones. But “we are not here to entertain children with a red nose,” recalls Joël Simon, the festival’s conductor. We want to question them, generate reflection. Little by little, we manage to deal with strong subjects. This is the strength of the show for young audiences, it can talk about anything, as long as there is hope. »
“Long live” the show proposed by the Saône-et-Loire company Superlune exposes, during a criminal trial, the fate of a young chef abused by her father. Incest is addressed throughout the show by his lawyer or those around him. “It’s a choice that we assume,” confirms Joël Simon. Joséphine Chaffin's text is very beautiful, it's not morbid. Through the show, these are little drops that we distill. We are very attentive to social issues because it is the very essence of our festival. We have already been doing this for more than ten years on the question of exile and refugees. » Since its creation in 1989, Meli'Mômes has continued to position itself in the face of world news. Harassment, war, immigration... so many topics covered in previous editions of the festival which is celebrating its 34th anniversary.
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It is neither a coincidence nor a detail that the godmother of this edition, Anaïs Llobet, is a journalist. “This festival is not that far from my job. It's neither superficial nor hollow, it will provoke reflection. When you are a journalist, you are committed to helping people question the world around them. In the scheduled shows, we appeal to the intelligence of young people and their ability to understand current issues,” underlines the young woman. Also a writer, she was notably rewarded with the 2022 Mediterranean Prize for her novel “Au café de la ville perdu”.
A whole symbol of openness to the world which suits the children's festival well. “She is a woman of the world, she has practiced her profession in the Philippines, in Moscow, in Cyprus. His status as a journalist echoes what we are proposing. The strength of the show for young audiences is its ability to tackle difficult themes, even if it can be embarrassing or disturbing,” summarizes Joël Simon. Companies can tackle subjects linked to separation or rejection of others, he continues, even if most shows are more often little bubbles of pure happiness. Between 12,000 and 15,000 spectators come each year to attend the thirty performances offered by companies from all over the world.
Remember that this event brings together between 12,000 and 15,000 spectators each spring in the city of Sacres. In total, more than thirty performances will be offered until April 16 by companies from all over the world (entrance: €3 to €8 until April 16)