PROFILES

Jovial and spontaneous, she was the first woman to head the Comédie-Française and then the Villa Médicis. Today she is the new director of the Théâtre National de Nice (TNN). Meet her here.

Before taking on the role of director, you were, and indeed still are, an actress. Where does this love of performing on stage come from?
I never gave it a second thought. It's a passion that gripped me from a very young age and instinctively became my primary focus. I was a very gifted student but afraid of falling into a hackneyed way of life (laughs). Thanks to an inter-school competition, I entered the Versailles Conservatoire at the age of 14. Paul Eluard put it very well: "There is another world, but it is in this one". Theatre has allowed me to grow this waking dream into my life. It’s another vast world to explore, where every moment is intense, and I feel alive.

Tell us about the "public speaking workshops" you have been leading since your arrival and where you share your passion for words with the audience…
This season, the TNN is hosting a transitional programme that I think is great because of the diversity it offers. I've added these free workshops, which take place on a Monday twice a month. These events, not intended for actors, allow people to practice public speaking and discover the magic of the stage for themselves. Nearly 200 people take part each time! It's also an opportunity for me to understand the audience I'm addressing in order to build a 2020 season that’s appropriate.

What about the work you did this year on the book Lettre à Nour with the department's students?
The text by Islamologist Rachid Benzine, which tells us about a woman who decides to leave everything to join the Daesh lieutenant she married, was studied in class by students studying many different subjects. We then offered them the opportunity to write individual letters and support in staging them. Their projects will all be presented on 25 and 26 March at the TNN, a free event open to everybody. And next year, we will do the same with the letter written by Eric Fotorino to his father. This link with the French education system and the younger generations seems to me to be of paramount importance.

What are the major areas you would like to develop in the TNN programme?
I think that in a city like Nice, there can never be too much theatre, and it's normal that there are different styles. But I also think it's very important to clarify the Théâtre National de Nice’s heredity. The audience must be able to say to itself: I know I can encounter great writing here. So "classical" texts, even if I don't like this term at all because it sounds fusty (laughs) but staying open to what’s new with contemporary ones too. And considering Nice's geographical position, we need to open ourselves up to the Mediterranean, whether it’s Italy, Greece, Spain... Theatre has the advantage of bridging a gap that makes it easier to be moved or laugh than in real life. It's the opportunity to step back from history, grow together, rise above.

Par Tanja Stojanov