A grand classic of French literature, known for its magnificent characters and its lively spirit, Le Cid by Pierre Corneille transforms under the gaze of director Jean Bellorini, a champion of popular and poetic theater. With Histoire d'un Cid, the tragicomedy that first premiered in 1637 now takes on new hues, leading us on a journey of dreaming, playfulness, and nostalgia.
A reinvented Cid between poetry and popular theater
Right from the start, the mood is set. Six people step onto the stage: two musicians – one on percussion and the other on keys – who will accompany the entire play with fabulous melodies, followed by four actors playing the roles of storytellers of the tale. Together, they help us rediscover the grand adventures of Cid, the impossible love between Rodrigue and Chimène, the Infanta's secret, the despair of an aging father, and a cascade of dilemmas nestled in a mythic tale that has endured for centuries.
© Christophe Raynaud de Lage
Honor, love, vengeance, despair, and life choices will be the key themes of the show, which will attempt to untangle these essential topics using the untouchable weapon of humanity: imagination. Between dream and reality, the audience will witness a grand love song, as violent as it is playful.
From the Château de Grignan to the stage at Amandiers
Created outdoors during the Nocturnal Festivals at the Château de Grignan in the summer of 2024, Histoire d'un Cid will finally take place on the Amandiers stage from May 15 to June 15, while keeping its roots: raw craftsmanship, which deconstructs the original text to make way for enchantment. In a scenography designed by Véronique Chazal, the play begins on a bare stage, like a canvas.the painter's white, which transforms and metamorphoses throughout the piece.
At its heart, a giant inflatable castle appears in just a few seconds, turning into a playground for the actors who, in this childlike setting, deconstruct this Corneille text. Throughout the performance, they blend in, emerge, and dive back into the narrative, which has become a true fantasy, taking the spectators along with them into a delightful theatrical illusion.
© Christophe Raynaud de Lage
Story of a Cid
Nanterre-Amandiers Theatre
7, Pablo-Picasso Avenue – Nanterre
From May 15 to June 15, 2024
More info and tickets
