Avignon, une école

What is the place of Avignon in our own personal mythology of theatre? What is it about it that allows young actresses and actors to find their way? Drawing from the Festival’s archives, director Fanny de Chaillé merges memory with the present, inviting graduating students from La Manufacture in Lausanne to reenact their own experiences and favourite moments, as well as artists’ testimonies, critics’ perspectives, and spectators’ comments... A living memory of the performing arts, Avignon, un école never succumbs to the ease of consensus: in that sense, it is faithful to the spirit of a festival which, since its inception, has seen its fair share of heated debates. This original format also serves to question, not without humour, what it means to be inside or outside of culture today, by shouting “I was there!” or “I wasn’t there!” 

Quince jóvenes actores recorren la historia del Festival d’Avignon para contar su propia historia. Un relato que toma los archivos como objetos de estudio o cómo convertir Aviñón en una escuela. 

Interview with Fanny de Chaillé

With Bachelor of Theatre students from La Manufacture - Haute École des arts de la scène de Lausanne: Eve Aouizerate, Martin Bruneau, Luna Desmeules, Mehdi Djouad, Hugo Hamel, Maëlle Héritier, Araksan Laisney, Liona Lutz, Mathilde Lyon, Elisa Oliveira, Adrien Pierre, Dylan Poletti, Pierre Ripoll, Léo Zagagnoni, Kenza Zourdani
Design and direction Fanny de Chaillé
Lighting Willy Cessa
Sound Manuel Coursin
Costumes Angèle Gaspar
Assistants Grégoire Monsaingeon, Christophe Ives
Collaboration on the archive copy Tomas Gonzalez
General management Emmanuel Bassibé, Robin Dupuis
Technical assistant Amon Mantel
Administration, production, distribution Isabelle Ellul, Marion Grossiord

Production La Manufacture - Haute École des arts de la scène de Lausanne, Théâtre national de Bordeaux en Aquitaine
With the support of Domaine Musique et Arts de la scène de la Haute École spécialisée de Suisse occidentale, Fondation Ernst Göhner (Zoug), Fondation Françoise Champoud (Lausanne)
With the support of Théâtre Vidy-Lausanne
Thanks to the administrative and technical of La Manufacture - Haute École des arts arts de la scène, Lausanne and the Théâtre national de Bordeaux en Aquitaine
Performances in partnership with France Bleu Vaucluse