Although he will give way to Thiago Rodríguez at the start of the academic year, the director of the Avignon Festival details the strengths of his latest edition. And presents his political reading of the theater.
theater man and homo politicusOlivier Pi is completing his second term as director of the Avignon Festival (“In”, as opposed to Off, which is subsidized), a veritable workshop of thought that takes place over three weeks and which he directs. After September 2013. He swears he doesn’t know what he’s going to do… Meanwhile, he reveals this 76’s plan:e publication under the sign of youth and the future, and in the editorial of which he also singles out the word “people”… Explanation:
Miss Figaro. – Do you aspire to a popular theater?
Olivier P. – We are so accused of being elitist or elitist. This is not the reality of those who came to the festival… It was good to remind. We owe everything to the public, which gives us our legitimacy, our dignity. And this audience is by no means an elite audience. It is a popular audience with a significant local component and a real social and generational mix.
The word history is important to you…
I have given this edition the theme “Once Upon a Time”. During the last presidential elections, it was well realized that it was opposed not to ideologies, but to stories, sometimes even fictions, even lies. Are we a people when we have a common history? I, I believe it. We need these stories.
What are the highlights of this 2022 edition?
black monk Directed by Kirill Serebrennikov after Chekhov, in the main courtyard of the Palace of the Popes. It was obviously not intentional to welcome the Russian artist opposing Putin. I wanted to open the festival with Kirill, and he is most likely Russian and has the political background that he has. We will close with Ukrainians, Dakh girls.
You are approaching parity. And grow internationally.
Women are very present. We are moving towards equality within one epsilon. The East is very present, reaching Iran and Afghanistan on the one hand, and the Middle East and Palestine on the other. International expansion is the mission I set myself.
Another side, the dance…
The second part of the program is performed in the main courtyard with the young Belgian choreographer Jan Martens… He is gifted. He will know how to conquer this fabulous place Near future.
“The political dimension of the festival never stopped growing as politics became more and more uninteresting. »
Olivier P
There will also be a long-running show…
With Simon Falgueres nest of ashes which lasts thirteen hours. It is a tradition. The public loves it. It’s something you can only do in Avignon. The audience gets the impression of participating in a historical moment. They are not consumers of shows, they are activists. Twenty-seven years ago I did the servant a twenty-four hour show. I am paying tribute to her this year with a harlequinade. My noble youth, which lasts ten hours.
At the end of your two terms, what are you most proud of?
International reputation of the festival, location in the city, region. I like that the festival is a utopian community that also gathers to talk about the future, to speak out and to put itself in dialectics. The political dimension of the festival never stopped growing as politics became more and more uninteresting.
What can you wish for Thiago Rodríguez, your successor?
First, public acceptance. And connect the festival with the present as much as possible. I know he will do great. I’m already working with him to hand him the keys to the Festival. He will inherit her beauties, her ideas. And Jean Villar’s ideas are real national treasures.
Avignon Festival, July 7-26. festival-avignon.com:
Festival Off d’Avignon, July 7 to 30. festivaloffavignon.com:
Source: Le Figaro
