A festival, you know, it is the covenant a place and a project. We don’t forget Daniel Bedos and his passion of the founder in a time where, in the happy eighties, the money accompanied throughout the creation. The Spring of the comedians was born on the initiative of the general Council of the Hérault in 1987, on the idea of an artist and programmer to be enthusiastic.
Bedos has made all the crafts of the performing arts. Adapter, director, discoverer, traveler, organizer. The Spring of the actors has seen, in his early years, Peter Brook as Ariane Mnouchkine. The Chairman of the event, Jean-Claude Carrière, born in the Hérault, universal spirit, is always the ideal sponsor. With time, Daniel Bedos was oriented shows originating from different horizons very distant, with a small side of the «House of the cultures of the world», and we followed less what was happening in the Domain of O, the enchanting park and its facilities, all of which have contributed to the influence of the Spring.
The era John Varela
Named in 2010, at the departure of Daniel Bedos, Jean Varela has signed its first programming from 2011. We immediately guessed that something was changing. A strong regional anchorage, because John Varela is a child of the country and has been an actor, a director, a director of the company. But also an artistic ambition and stronger because Varela is also a curious bystander to all and a great connoisseur of the performing artists, in the field of theatre, dance, circus.
» READ ALSO – ambitions of John Varela, director of the Spring Comedians in Montpellier
This ninth edition of the hand is particularly remarkable, after a rise in regular. It must be said that he has the support of loyal communities: Philippe Saurel, president of Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole, Mayor of the city of Montpellier, Kléber Mesquida, the president of the departmental council of the Hérault are there, trust him and know that the festival is not an alignment of beautiful productions. The programming is thought of and the color international nimbus the raw 2019, is as much fun to discover great shows, artists brilliant, as a necessary development.
John Varela is a man who has built up a team and the Spring of actors is led by a team of courageous, composed of strong personalities. Include, as advisors to management and to the programming, Laurent Parisian, deputy director, Martin Lorenté, administrative director, Patrick Haggiag, Philippe Maurizi, and, for some time, Eric Bart, who runs the world, curious of what is conceived, here or there.
A prestigious Don Juan in the opening
With a budget much smaller than that of Avignon, the edition in 2019, was marked by the presence of two «first in France». One is Don Juan version of the German Frank Castorf, a long time director of the Volksbühne in Berlin, and who here conducts a troop that is not his own, but which is just as invested. Images, lights, music, everything contributes to give a breadth of opera to the representation. The 1st of June at 19: 00 and Sunday 2 June at 15: 00 at the grand théâtre Jean-Claude Carrière. A wide crossing of 4.30. This is the opening of the festival.
«The cherry Orchard» by Anton Chekhov staged by British Simon McBurney. Jan Versweyveld
To close, almost close this month brilliant theatre, dance, music, circus, this is the other big foreign show that has booked its first French in Montpellier is the staging of the British Simon McBurney of The cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov. It directs interpreters of the International Theater Amsterdam. To see the 29 June at 19: 00 and on the 30th of June at 15: 00. This show also takes place at the grand théâtre Jean-Claude Carrière.
meanwhile, a creation that piaffe this to find out: Le Bourgeois gentilhomme of Molière, staged by Jérôme Deschamps, with the director himself in the role of Monsieur Jourdain and a cast of actors is great, among whom Josiane Stoleru, Ms. Jordan. A wide version with Lully’s music by les Musiciens du Louvre under the direction of their conductor Marc Minkowski . Much is expected of as much as Jérôme Deschamps wants us to understand the sincerity of Jordan. And his loneliness. To see the 7, 8, 9 June at the Opera Comedy.
But also: Wajdi Mouawad, Isabelle Adjani, Jean Bellorini, Pascal Rambert…
Another great moment, to see or see again, to live and relive: All birds , the admirable creation of Wajdi Mouawad, which was given in the Amphitheatre of O the 14 and 15 June. Without a doubt, one of the shows most shocking, the most strong, that it shall be given you to see. In German, Hebrew, Arabic, English, very well surtitrée in French, this crossing the years and continents, of fates, is admirable.
«Scala», Yoann Bourgeois. Geraldine Aresteanu
another format is the Opening night according to Cassavetes, with Isabelle Adjani, Morgan Lloyd Sicard, Frédéric Pierrot, under the direction of Cyril Teste, a regular Spring of the actors. To discover also, if you have not yet seen the moment of Jean Bellorini and Camille de La Guillonnière, Hélène Patarin. An adaptation of Proust, three, directed by Bellorini and played by two actors also sensitive and touching. To see the 2 and 3 June in the Amphitheatre of O.
These few milestones, are just a few of the very many proposals: Pascal Rambert with the choreographer Rachid Ouramdane for Mount Truth , Julien Gosselin with a reflection text short, Don DeLillo, hammer and sickle , are also creations, just at the beginning of the event, lighting up the festival of their tireless research. But beyond these well-known personalities, as is Yoann Bourgeois that has its Scala there’s a lot to discover, as is Sylvain Creuzevault that offers its Banquet Capital , re-examination of his work The Capital and his Monkey , according to Marx.
And the staging of Nicolas Oton Crime and punishment of Dostoevsky or the performances designed for young audiences, the circus that caters to all generations, the festival of music June 21, and this cycle was loved very much during his birth, last year: Warm up , a dozen forms in progress, given the Studio Monnet in the Domain of O, or the Blue Bubble and the Drama of the Vignette. In short, a festival even more lively and young!
● «Spring comedians in Montpellier», of 31 may to 30 June, All information and reservations: 04 67 63 66 67.
