Le Sommet

Six characters find themselves in a refuge – or is it a shelter? A bunker, perhaps? – perched high on a mountaintop. They speak Italian, German, Scottish English, and French – but do they really understand one another? It seems that a summit is being prepared at the summit – yet the outside world is uncertain, just like their intentions. Christoph Marthaler, one of Europe’s greatest theatre directors, makes his return to Avignon. In his musical theatre people sing, often get lost, come together through music, and sometimes stumble upon what they weren’t even looking for. In this comedy of circumstance, double meanings and opening unexpected paths... Much like a Europe still searching for itself, a summit will no doubt be reached – even if the way there proves to be, well… unpredictable.

يعرض كريستوف مارثالي ستّ شخصيات تسعى وراء الأعالي للوصول إلى جلسةٍ في القمة: أداء يتميّز بالحس الفكاهي القوي ويمزج المسرح والموسيقى والغناء. 

interview with Christoph Marthaler and Malte Ubenauf

With Liliana Benini, Charlotte Clamens, Raphael Clamer, Federica Fracassi, Lukas Metzenbauer, Graham F. Valentine 

Conception and direction Christoph Marthaler
Dramaturgy Malte Ubenauf 
Scenography Duri Bischoff
Costumes Sara Kittelmann
Make-up and wigs Pia Norberg
Lighting Laurent Junod
Sound Charlotte Constant
Collaboration to dramaturgy Éric Vautrin
Assistant director Giulia Rumasuglia
Musical repeaters Bendix Dethleffsen, Dominique Tille
Trainee director Louis Rebetez
Production Marion Caillaud, Tristan Pannatier 
Props and set building Théâtre Vidy-Lausanne
General stage management Véronique Kespi 
Stage management Mathieu Pegoraro
Lighting management Cassandre Colliard 
Sound management Charlotte Constant
Dresser Cécile Delanoé
Surtitles Tristan Pannatier

Production Théâtre Vidy-Lausanne, Piccolo Teatro di Milano Teatro d’Europa, MC93 Maison de la culture de Seine-Saint-Denis 
Co-production Bonlieu Scène nationale Annecy, Ruhrfestspiele Recklinghausen, Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg, Festival d’Automne à Paris, Théâtre National Populaire de Villeurbanne, Festival d’Avignon, Maillon Théâtre de Strasbourg - Scène européenne, Malraux Scène nationale Chambéry Savoie, Les 2 Scènes Scène nationale de Besançon, tnba Théâtre national Bordeaux Aquitaine, International Summer Festival Kampnagel 

Accessories and set design Théâtre Vidy-Lausanne
Costumes Piccolo Teatro di Milano – Teatro d’Europa
Translation of surtitles into French and English Panthea

With the support of Pro Helvetia - Fondation suisse pour la culture et Spedidam pour la 79e édition du Festival d’Avignon

As part of the Franco-Swiss Interreg Project no. 20919 - LACS - Annecy-Chambéry-Besançon-Geneva-Lausanne.

Acknowledgements Isabelle Faust

Le Sommet includes texts by Christoph Marthaler, Malte Ubenauf and the performers, as well as extracts and quotations from Elisa Biagini, Olivier Cadiot, Patrizia Cavalli, Bodo Hell, Norbert Hinterberger, Gert Jonke, Antonio Moresco, Aldo Nove, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Werner Schwab, Christophe Tarkos, Dylan Thomas, Giuseppe Ungaretti et Patrizia Valduga, as well as music inspired by the Beatles, l’Abbé Bovet, Adriano Celentano, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Schubert and popular Swiss and Austrian melodies.