Vienna. The beginning of the last century. Young Hitler, an artist without talent, not yet a Nazi, but already anti-semitic, is warmly welcomed in a refuge for the homeless run by a gullible and generous old Jew, Shlomo Herzl. He upholds to the letter the precept, “do as you would be done unto”. An incredible story which nonetheless is based on recognized fact. Jewish writer George Tabori born in 1916, and whose father was killed in Auschwitz, turns an unimaginable meeting between the executioner and his future victim into a hilarious and funny tragi-comedy of biting spirit not unlike that belonging to the universe of Woody Allen or Charlie Chaplin. Mein Kampf (farce) is a devastating text, a sarcastic farce which constantly slips into burlesque with the appearances of Hitler, God or Death. Director Agathe Alexis, admits that she is fascinated by an author whose scandalous and redeeming humour she appreciates.She is staging for the first time this production of Mein Kampf (farce), with rigourous care and passion, spurred on by the desire to let the world hear the laughter of the vanquished. That laughter snatched from horror spreads throughout the theatre and somehow the victims are no longer really victims. Not so much.George Tabori has in his hands a powerful weapon with which to combat the monster - derision. He is not re-writing history, he is trying to make it a little less unbearable. And that is only one virtue of his farce that is born out of drama.
Distribution
translation Armando Llamas
stage direction Agathe Alexis
cast :John Arnold, Pierre Barrat, Bruno Buffoli, Joséphine Derenne,
Philippe Hottier, Sarah Karbasnikoff, Stéphane Schleininger,
Olivier Peigné, Jean-Jacques Azulay, Christian Renault
stage design: Patrick Bugeïa
costumes :Dominique Louis
lighting :Philippe Lacombe
sound realisation :Jean-Jacques Azulay
choreography:Claire Richard
make up : Philomène San Martino
wigs : Sylvie San Martino
assistant director :Laurent Ogée
Production
Coproduction :La Comédie de Béthune, Centre dramatique national Nord-Pas-de-calais Théâtre Vidy-Lausanne ETE, Festival d'Avignon
Texte publié : aux éditions Actes Sud-Papiers