With her latest production, French theater giant Ariane Mnouchkine takes warpath

She sees everything. Hitler’s too-black mustache, the missing centimeters on a barricade, an actor’s stumble. She hears everything. The creak of a pulley, the music starting too early, fatigue in the voices. From her seat in the middle of the stands, microphone in one hand and pen in the other, Ariane Mnouchkine observes every tiny detail that appears and happens on the stage of the Théâtre du Soleil. Nothing escapes her, neither in the detail nor the wider view. Does she have a perfect ear and eye? “I watch, listen and believe what the actors do. If I stop believing them, then something is wrong. So we have to stop and talk,” explained this watchful guardian who doesn’t hesitate to interrupt the work with a thunderous “stop!” Then she urged: “Shall we go on? Quiet! Here we go.”

Paris, October 23, 2024.”/>

In her 60 years at the Cartoucherie theater compound in the heart of the Vincennes forest, east of Paris, the director has never before opened the door to allow the press into rehearsals. But this famous door is opened week after week to other visitors: high school classes, friends passing through or fellow travelers, like author Hélène Cixous. Although Cixous hasn’t officially written a play for the company since The Castaways of Mad Hope (“Survivors of the Mad Hope,” 2010), she’s never gone away. Whether adviser or proofreader, she collaborates “in harmony” with the collective creations.

Other regulars include schoolchildren, who have traveled up and down from Burgundy by train and, supervised by their French teacher, even slept there. “Madame Mnouchkine,” exclaimed one of them, “even when the rehearsal is excellent, you always find problems to solve.” This tailor-made definition of the director’s job triggered laughter. This Tuesday, October 1, was a successful day and everyone was in a good mood. “Theater’s hard, but it’s fun,” said the artist with a smile.

Hive of activity

Since September, in cold weather or bright sunshine, from dawn to dusk, this stream of visitors has been following the making of the latest creation from the troupe of the Théâtre du Soleil: Here Are the Dragons. First Period. 1917. Victory Was In Our Hands. (“Here Dwell the Dragons. First Episode. 1917. Victory Was in Our Hands”). After six months of intensive collective preparation, which began on April 1, this “great popular show inspired by real events” (according to the program) is emerging into the light for public viewing. Underpinned by historical events expressed in a powerful theatrical form, the saga is a direct response to current events: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

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