Ahmed Madani, at work and in fight – Sceneweb

After a triptych exploring solidarity in working-class neighborhoods and with exiled households, the previous director of the Indian Ocean Drama Middle establishes, as a part of the Avignon Off Competition, a brand new cycle with theThe platform doorwhich deepens his meditation on combating and disobedience.

Ahmed Madani has primarily based his inventive reflection on the illustration of variety for forty years by mixing amateurs and professionals on stage. In a political context the place the world of tradition sees the intense proper reaching the gates of energy, the chief continues to struggle, with out anger or resignation.

Given the political scenario we’re experiencing, is it central to you to proceed questioning the sharing of cultural capital?

Ahmed Madani: What’s tradition? Who can entry it? Who would not have entry to it? Who has an excessive amount of? Who would not have sufficient? And the way will we handle to seek out our approach in essentially the most radical, violent contexts, the place there may be nothing, the place it’s a cultural object, or, quite the opposite, the place it transcends both sides? L’The platform door it’s a reflection on the isolation of every individual, but in addition on our solidarity as a vital signal of the association of our social and political life.

The query of the far proper has been there for years. It’s a lengthy historical past marked by a colonial, imperialist place, hegemony of 1 thought all through the world. The consolidation of nationwide id as we all know it at this time is definitely an assertion of a place of management and subsequently exclusion.

How will you place your self as an artist of tomorrow if the far proper involves energy?

I’m not going to vary my artwork observe tomorrow if the intense proper involves energy. My place is all the time the identical: to make the silent voices heard, those we do not hear. And I believe that we’ve to remain inside the establishments, it’s absurd to suppose in any other case. For me, the Minister of Tradition, whereas he’s there, is a consultant of the State. I am not going to begin turning down donations. This cash is owed to me, it’s cash owed to tradition. And if the Nationwide Rally is in energy tomorrow, I’ll struggle to assert this cash.

The battle occurs on daily basis. I’m in my place, the place it’s most necessary: to be with my actors, speaking about them and the way in which they dream about this world and the way they will place themselves in it future time. I’m relying on them.

Do you suppose that the world of tradition has some accountability within the rise of the intense proper?

The accountability of the world of tradition is gigantic, nice. Who’s taking part in? What sort of story are we telling? How will we take part within the nationwide narrative? What phrases will we hear? Those we do not hear? The faces we see, those we do not? Artwork normally has been monopolized by a part of the inhabitants, and it is extremely tough to enter these organizers. However we must always not neglect that there are greater than 1,500 theaters in France and that there are a lot of very small groups engaged on the bottom on daily basis and that we should have fun.

We should proceed to deal with younger individuals as a precedence. As a result of younger individuals have to be fed. She has to suppose, she has to replicate, philosophy, she needs to be supported, she needs to be on the set. There are nonetheless sure theaters which have considerably gotten rid of those questions. For years and years, I heard that I used to be not an artist, however a socio-cultural animator. I’m pleased with it.

How do you perceive the time we’re in now?

Paradoxically, I strategy it with pleasure. I’m glad that the struggle continues, that it’s in different types. I used to be not ready for that second to be at work. I am the place I have to be, the place it hurts. However, if the State needs to remove my cash, we are going to take to the streets. I’m extra combative than ever, via work and thru my artwork. As a result of my work is a publication. We do not cease something, we do not change something on the road.

Feedback collected by Fanny Ibert – www.sceneweb.fr

The platform door
Textual content and path by Ahmed Madani
With Dolo Andaloro, Aurélien Batondor, Jeanne Matthey, Rita Moreira, Côme Veber, Igaëlle Venegas, Lisa Wallinger
Assistant Director Coralie Vollichard
Sound creation by Christophe Séchet
Nicolas Clauss making a video
Voice coach Dominique Magloire and Arnaud Vernet
Damien Klein lighting design

Manufacturing of Madani Compagnie
FAIP assist from École des Teintureries de Lausanne, Théâtre Vidy-Lausanne, Théâtre de Sartrouville et des Yvelines – CDN
Co-Director with Madani Compagnie / Théâtre des Halles – Avignon

Madani Compagnie is accredited by the Division of Île-de-France, by the Ministry of Tradition – DRAC Île-de-France

Time: 1h15

Competition Off d’Avignon 2024
Halles Theatre
from 29 June to 21 July, at 11am (break on 3, 10 and 17)