Black Lights

Black Lights is based on texts written by ten female authors from around the world, used in the stunning television series H24. Inspired by actual events, this show-as-manifesto which chronicles the mental and physical impact of the different kinds of violence to which women are exposed. In a polyphony of movements and words, Mathilde Monnier lends her voice to those incisive and powerful texts. Like the writers themselves, the eight performers who embody those stories on stage come from different countries, belong to different generations. Aiming through her direction to evoke the tragedy of those stories but also the very possibility of expressing and sharing, the great choreographer with her long history with Avignon and its audience makes literature the source of her dance. And rather than mere illustration, the former director of the Centre chorégraphique de Montpellier and of the Centre national de la danse gives a face to those female words: commitment and freedom.

Interview with Mathilde Monnier

With Isabel Abreu, Aïda Ben Hassine, Kaïsha Essiane, Lucía García Pullés, Mai-Júli Machado Nhapulo, Carolina Passos Sousa, Jone San Martin Astigarraga, Ophélie Ségala
Choreography and direction Mathilde Monnier
Inspired by H24, series for ARTE by Valérie Urrea and Nathalie Masduraud
Texts Agnès Desarthe, Siri Hustvedt, Fabienne Kanor, Niviaq Korneliussen, Lola Lafon, Grazyna Plebanek, Monica Sabolo, Ersi Sotiropoulos, Lize Spit, Alice Zeniter
Translations Christine Berlioz, Cécile Bocianowski, Gilles Decorvet, Christine Lebœuf, Emmanuelle Tardif, Laila Thullesen
Dramaturgy Stéphane Bouquet
Music Nicolas Houssin, Olivier Renouf
Set design Anne Tolleter
Design and construction Atelier Martine Andrée and Paul Dubois
Lighting Éric Wurtz
Costumes Laurence Alquier
General management Emmanuel Fornès
Sound management Nicolas Houssin
Production Otto Productions

Coproduction Compagnie MM, Festival Montpellier Danse, Le Quartz Scène nationale de Brest, Théâtre Garonne Scène européenne (Toulouse), Le Parvis Scène nationale Tarbes Pyrénées (Ibos), Théâtre populaire romand - Centre neuchâtelois des arts vivants and ADN Danse Neuchâtel (La Chaux-de-Fonds)
With the support of la Région Occitanie, La Fondation d'entreprise Hermès
In partnership with ARTE