Muriel Robin. “This job is not made for me”

This is the piece he’s been waiting for. Muriel Robin takes the stage at the Théâtre Edouard VII in Paris to present a play by Samuel Benchetri. Rabbit (1), facing Pierre Arditi. The two actors play their roles and meet like every Monday to talk about life, friendship, work… But that evening, the duo realizes that they are not alone. Along with this absurdist comedy, dedicated actress Muriel Robin stars Wide closed eyes (2), a film about incest directed by Clément Michel, which will be broadcast on October 2 on TF1.

Laughter and commitment

Madame Figaro: My news?
Muriel Robin: Samuel Benchetrit wrote the play for Pierre Arditi and myself Rabbit after we met at a mutual friend’s house for lunch. This is the room I’ve been dreaming of. I feel at home on stage and coming from the Conservatory, I know how to play with others. Pierre Arditi, being very funny, I know that I scare him a lot on stage. I’m not going to make him laugh because that’s not the point, but I think he’ll run into it sometimes.

My character?
I play my own role, but Samuel Benchetrit wrote the current version of me. That said, we find the “tsoi, tsi” side of my shows, but also a gentleness that is less familiar to me.

My engagement?
Being a woman dedicated to life, I find consistency through my roles. So after playing Jacqueline Sauvage, then a woman with Alzheimer’s disease, I played Wide closed eyes By Clément Michel, a grandmother who discovers that her grandson is the victim of incest. When we learn that three children in a class of 30 are victims of incest, it initially sends shivers down our spines, and we tell ourselves that there is more to be done. Addressing this topic on television is thought provoking, opens dialogue and can raise awareness.

Honesty

Is promoting myself a chore?
It wasn’t easy when I started, I was nervous, I couldn’t finish my sentences… I was out of place, like in life. Today I feel good, even if the interview remains an exercise that we want to succeed.

Wooden tongue or very sharp?
Too free. I have to be honest, I was made that way.

Misunderstanding about me?
Not with the public, because I’m well known now, but perhaps with professionals. When I came into this profession with my square jaw, short hair, slightly high voice… I was perceived as that, even though I was obviously a woman and a more complex and nuanced actress.

Do I still have the holy fire?
Yes! The fire is probably a little lower, but there are good bonfires.

If everything were to be done over again.
I would do another job. This one wasn’t really made for me because I wasn’t confident enough in myself to depend on other people’s wishes. Therefore, I will go to some tutorial, specifically. I would be an architect or a doctor.

What do I tell myself when I look in the mirror?
That I’ve done a good job on myself and that the person I am today is relatable, that she can play roles that she wouldn’t have imagined herself in before.

Last time I was proud of myself?
This morning, after finishing my sports class, like every day.

Would I go back on stage alone?
Yes, because I know it’s over, but I had to go on stage to explain to the audience, spend some time with them and somehow close the loop. It seems to me that I owe it to them.

(1) Rabbit By Samuel Benchetrit with Muriel Robin and Pierre Arditi. At the Édouard VII Theater in Paris until January 6.

(2) Wide closed eyes By Clément Michel, with Muriel Robin, Guillaume Labbe… Airs October 2 at 9:10pm on TF1.