“Alzhei’mère”, a show you won’t soon forget!

The next theatrical evening offered by the In § Off association will be a bit special.

On Friday November 25th at 9 pm, the actress Sophie Belvisi will be on stage in the multipurpose hall of Vic-Fezensac for a one woman show entitled “Alzhei’mère”.

A dark topic tackled with beautiful colorful humor!

The association had heard of the show and traveled to Bordeaux to see it staged. Immediately hooked, she decided to integrate it into her schedule for the year.

Part of the proceeds will be donated to the France Alzheimer association.

Sophie Belvisi has agreed to answer some questions for Le Journal du Gers.

trades:

Gers newspaper: Sophie Belvisi, can you introduce yourself?

Sofia Belvisi: I’m 28 years old, I live in Lyon and I’m an actress.

Gers newspaper: The show you are presenting in Vic-Fezensac on November 25 is a one woman show entitled Alzhei’mère. How is this show presented?

Sofia Belvisi: It’s a one-woman show about me, when I had to take care of my mother who was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

I felt the need to talk about this topic in a humorous way to raise awareness without dramatizing it.

There are moments of emotion in this show, but also laughter, music and even some vocals!

Gers newspaper: So you were very close to Alzheimer’s since your mother had it.

Why did you make a show out of it?

Sofia Belvisi: I was a family carer from the age of 16 until I was 26 and felt very lonely at that time.

So I wrote the show I wanted to see when I was in this situation.

At that time, 10 years ago, when I was confronted with the disease, there was nothing.

What are called “platforms of respite” did not exist.

When I see what France Alzheimer is doing today, I am dazzled, I would have loved to have had it a few years ago and this show would have allowed me to breathe, to have a moment of respite, to tell me that I was understood, that I was not alone.

I also want to be the voice for future generations because it is a disease that affects us more and more and I want the new and younger carers not to feel alone and to know that they can be accompanied.

Gers newspaper: Why did you opt for a humorous tone?

Sofia Belvisi : I had written a dramatic tone show “Bloody Memory” for the first time

Then, I entered the world of café-théâtre.

I had performed a solo show on stage “Dans le sac des filles” which had nothing to do with the theme of illness!

I was discovering the codes of humor and that’s when I told myself I had a niche to fill.

It was also a challenge to choose a sad subject, a frightening subject – because in my show there are all three equally frightening subjects, sickness, mother and death! – and tries to make people laugh. The challenge was to find a way to make a child laugh when he becomes a parent of his parent!

At first, my show scared the producers, because of its subject matter but also because we wondered if there was enough material for an entire show about the disease.

In fact, I’ve trimmed my show so there’s material: the illness, my career as a caregiver, and how I got out of it.

Gers newspaper: You do this show in the theatre, but do you also do it in rest homes?

Sofia Belvisi: I’m really starting to play the show in retirement homes.

At the beginning my goal wasn’t necessarily to perform it in the theater, even if it’s my job, but to do it for associations like France Alzheimer.

I was lucky enough to be able to start doing this as part of blue week, which is caregiver week.

I was able to play my show in Perpignan on 3rd October and in Lille on 6th October as part of France Alzheimer’s and caregiver associations who bought the show from me.

Playing him in that setting was very impressive and I hope it repeats itself.

My goal is really for this show to pass for France Alzheimer.

It fills me with joy to be associated with the progress in Alzheimer’s.

Gers newspaper: What feedback do you get from viewers? Are these returns different depending on whether or not they are affected by the disease?

Sofia Belvisi: The funny thing is that people who are affected by the disease are very affected by the show, but those who have nothing to do with the disease are also affected because in addition to talking about Alzheimer’s, I’m talking about responsibilities that fall on us very much. soon, of the reality that escapes us, of the disorder itself…

For example, I have a friend of mine whose parents separated who saw her parents’ divorce on my show.

In “classic” theaters, viewers expect the humorous side and “get slapped” because the emotional side is very strong since I’m talking about my mother.

When I play it as part of France Alzheimer, the audience has different expectations because they wonder how I’m going to approach a subject they know well!

Gers newspaper: Other than Vic-Fezensac, where will we see you on stage Nov. 25, where is your show playing?

Sofia Belvisi: Of course, I play in Lyon.

In particular I have an important date which is January 23rd when I play at the Gerson space which is one of the largest performance halls in Lyon and a must for comedians, I will also be in Agen from January 12th to 15th. , in Alès in February, in Bourg les Valences in March and above all at the Avignon festival.

Gers newspaper: What are your projects?

Sofia Belvisi: I am an actress in a show “Crétin des Alpes” which revisits all the clichés about Savoy, a show that only takes place in Savoy.

At the end of December, I join a new program at the Rideau Rouge in a show called “The perfect man does not exist”, a show where we are two women embracing the same man without knowing it!

I’m also thinking of writing a show that comes around the dawn of my 30s, so in two years!

Gers newspaper: Is your acting career related to your mother’s illness?

Sofia Belvisi: For nothing !

I come from a small village near Perpignan. My career was all planned out; I must have been a literature teacher. I was part of a theater group.

One day I woke up telling myself that I didn’t want to take the same route every day, that I dreamed of a new scene, that I wanted to do this job and earn a living.

My mother didn’t believe it but she wanted me to go through with it. That’s what I did!”

Alzheimer’s mother

Friday 25 November at 9.00pm

Vic-Fezensac multipurpose room

Adults 15 euros Under 20s 12 euros

reservations: [email protected] or 06 16 62 19 31

Before the show, for those who wish, refreshment bar and sweet dish for 5 euros