France Now at HOME
Kristy Stott, Theatre Editor
Running in HOME’s intimate Theatre 2 space alongside Jean Genet’s The Maids, France Now offers three contrasting performances from the French contemporary scene.
First up is J’ai Trop Peur or I’m So Scared, en Anglais. Written and directed by David Lescot. J’ai Trop Peur is a heart-warming adolescent drama about the challenges of school, friendships and growing up. The play was commissioned by the Theatre de la Villa and has toured extensively throughout France. This show will be performed in French with English subtitles.
Choreographed and performed by the Compagnie Pyramid, Ballet Bar is a dance production. Set in an underground New York jazz bar somewhere between Prohibition and the explosion of bebop, a company of 6 hip hop dancers blend mime, physical comedy, acrobatics and a myriad of eclectic dance styles.
Michel Houllebecq’s Submission completes HOME’s France Now performance trilogy. Houllebecq is France’s best-selling author and one of the most controversial writers of his time- his most recent work Submission is a political thriller, a dystopian novel and most importantly a satire. Submission imagines a France of the near future under Islamic rule, following the election of a Muslim president, the fictional Mohammed Ben Abbes, who is backed by the Socialists in order to keep Marine Le Pen’s National Front out of power. What follows is a darkly clever and satirical scenario in which French cultural life is turned on its head.
All three plays seek to explore the charms and challenges of life in France. From a witty and honest play about a young girl afraid to start secondary school to an explosive night of hip-hop dance, all concluding with a dystopian tale from France’s best-selling novelist – France Now gives you the chance to experience the best of French theatre here in Manchester.
