meetings with the public, contracts to be won, budget… Five companies from Hauts-de-France tell their experiences
The Festival Off d’Avignon, which allows the discovery of independent performing arts companies, will come to an end this Saturday, July 30. Of the 1,570 shows on the program, some come from Hauts-de-France. Directors and actors talk about their festival with multiple challenges.
“It went really well. We had very good feedback!” Emilie Gévart, director from Picardy, is delighted with this Festival Off d’Avignon 2022.
After twenty performances of Cornebidouillein an often full theater, the last will take place this Saturday, July 30: “It’s a great adventure! It’s going to make our hearts ache.“
For the director, in addition to meeting the public, the Festival Off d’Avignon makes it possible to open up to a broadcast: “A lot of professionals came to see us and liked it. We know that the show will still have a good life behind it. This will allow us to rebound on its notoriety.“
“It was a real marathon. I crossed the Atlantic, it was easier“, ironically Renaud Benoit, actor and director who participated for the first time in the Festival Off d’Avignon with Univergatea recently created show.
If he judges the experience”wonderful“and the meeting with the public”magical“, this Picard discovered behind the scenes of such an event.
You have to put up posters, do some towing… Find a way to be visible, try a new idea every day to convince people to come.
Renaud Benoit, director and actor
Not to mention the budget needed to participate. “12,000 euros to rent a 90-seat theater for three weeks. We received help from the Hauts-de-France region for the creation. But not for the festival“, he laments.
The economic argument, Didier Perrier, director of the show Fiefhears it perfectly:It is very expensive so we go down to Avignon only when we benefit from help from the region.“
For this 2022 edition of the Festival Off, enter the companies that have been supported by the Hauts-de-France region.
Didier Perrier, a regular at the event, nevertheless wonders about the Festival Off: “There are more than 1,500 proposals and therefore a kind of frantic race. It becomes a bit like a market […] We always ask ourselves the question: ‘is there another alternative to present our work?’ But all the professionals are here!“
“We present our work, our company, we make appointments… It’s really our trade show“, confirms Noémie Rosenblatt, director of the show Odysseys 2020.
Noémie Rosenblatt believes that the Avignon festival has another interest: “It’s very rare that we play so many dates in a row. Usually, we play two days, we leave. Each time, we try to find our marks. While there, playing 18 times in a row is profitable for the actors. It helps to sharpen the show!“
No stage, no seats but a swimming pool as a backdrop. At the Festival Off d’Avignon, the northern company presented Like mean atypical and immersive show.
“The very principle of culture is to open up to all“, says Simon Dusart, interpreter. The company had been preparing Avignon for more than two years, again thanks to aid from the region, making it possible to finance part of the budget, of around 40,000 euros.
video length: 01 min 02
Company rehearsals in the tree before the Festival Off d’Avignon, extract from a report broadcast on June 8, 2022.
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©France Televisions
“Avignon is always an emotional lift“, finished Simon Dusart, on the way back to the North. “From the second day, the show was sold out. It’s pretty crazy, I haven’t come down yet!“
In total, the twelve performances allowed them to meet more than 180 programmers.