The radical left-wing company Jolie Môme pushed itself out of its historic Belle Etoile theater – Libération

“Whether it’s nationalist, republican or socialist, let’s dismiss the right.” This banner may no longer hang proudly in the Belle Etoile theater in Saint-Denis in a week or two. While the lease with the town hall of the city of Seine-Saint-Denis expires on December 31st, the company Jolie Môme – resident of the premises and famous for its radical left-wing militant actions – has to leave the premises after nineteen years of presence, in the middle of the cultural season. “The neighborhood here used to be a wasteland…” remembers Flô, an actress within the group. Today the director walks through the approximately 1,200 m² site and associates every detail with a memory, such as the bar with window bars built by a former set designer or the color of the walls, green, to the delight of the visitor. Impudence – here we do not believe in the superstition that this color brings bad luck to actors.

The company moved into this white-brick theater in 2004, barely vacated by the last squatters, leaving the space empty. Michel, Flô, Claire, Clément, Pascale, Cyril and half a dozen other members of the troupe have since renovated every part of it. Nowadays, hats are carefully hung in the basement, costumes are placed on hangers, and equipment is organized. “We don’t throw anything away, with every new show we try to tinker with what we have.” shares Michel, the director.

“They wanted to release us for political reasons”

After several years at Belle Etoile, the troupe’s lease expired for the first time in June, but was then extended by the town hall, which announced it would advertise its space through a project tender. A “legal obligation”, explains Mathieu Hanotin, PS mayor of Saint-Denis. Among the six documents submitted to the jury for this tender was that of the company Jolie Môme Judge “The worst”, reports the city council. Therefore, the place was assigned to the Drum of Limbo company. Ironically, the latter is directed by Rémi Prin, the former technical director of Les Déchargeurs, who was evicted from his theater in the 1st arrondissement of Paris following its liquidation. Le Tambour des limbes is another modest company that particularly wants to give space to young, up-and-coming companies “Total creations, i.e. texts staged by their authors,” Dream Rémi Prin.

For the artists of Jolie Môme, the reason for her departure is clear. “The town hall wanted to release us for political reasons, but used the project call to give itself a reason.” promotes the troop that organized weekly political and association meetings by making its kitchen available to looting collectives or by organizing one “Evening of solidarity with Gaza”. “We feel that what Jolie Môme is criticized for most is her militant positioning. regrets Vincent Brengarth, lawyer for the company. We can clearly see that the way it was carried out is completely opaque.” An idea that the director of the Théâtre du Soleil (12th arrondissement), Ariane Mnouchkine, adheres to in a letter addressed to the mayor of Saint-Denis and published the Obs Thursday, December 28th: “I realize that their stubborn radicalism can lead to despair, not to say unbearable, but does that justify such harshness in the separation? Such a “dismissal” more worthy of Laurent Wauquiez than a socialist mayor?

For its part, the town hall denies any form of stigmatization of the company, but recognizes that its activism played a role in the decision not to renew the company. “This is not a political punishment, assures Mathieu Hanotin. But if you do whatever you want in a private theater, I believe everyone should feel welcome in a public theater.” The person who won the 2020 local elections, ending a string of communist mayors that spanned more than 75 years, couldn’t say it more clearly: “The theater must not become a theater just for a group of anarcho-syndicalist people.”

spirit of concession

For Jolie Môme’s troupe, it has never been about closing the doors to those who do not approve of their positions, quite the opposite. “We are aware of the reality that in France the same people always go to the theater. But here the residents of Saint-Denis can entrust us with their children and come to us in times of social difficulties. We are there for you.” In addition to the theater stage, the company renovated a kitchen and a bar.

A “neighborhood spirit” that the new residents want to maintain in the spirit of the concession from their arrival on January 4th. “We can become two precarious companies colliding, but that is neither my goal nor that of Jolie Môme. “It’s a small environment, we know each other and we all want everything to go well.” assures Rémi Prin. His company wants to become “a municipal theater to complement the Gérard Philippe Theater, an alternative to start with.” Mathieu Hanotin shares this claim: “The Ensemble Tambour des Limbes knows from experience how to manage a place that must be able to support young theater groups. They will be able to produce the next directors from Avignon.”

“Two different perspectives on theater”

For Jolie Môme, the new troupe would have been better chosen for its promise of giving five performances a week thanks to the organization of small productions. Until then, the theater didn’t offer as many performances and dedicated part of its week to workshops and activist events. The company regrets this type of management of La Belle Etoile, especially for the public. “Not consumers, but comrades. We’re a troupe running a place with one philosophy… Those are two different ways of looking at theater.” With the new management, there are no longer any regular conferences organized by journalists Moons Diplo, political meetings… Instead, the town hall promises a “Introduction of artistic and cultural educational activities”. The Tamisentong children’s troupe can therefore rest assured, Rémi Prin has already expressed his desire to take them back.

Meanwhile, Jolie Môme, through her lawyer, asks City Hall to provide her with a place to store her equipment and rehearse. “Offering us an alternative after the season is suspended would be the least we could do.” says lawyer Vincent Brengarth. Without an amicable decision, we plan to initiate proceedings to appeal the project call decision to an administrative law judge.” For their part, the members of Jolie Môme regret: “We want to keep creating, that’s what we need.” Before adding: “It’s hard to risk death in this situation.” The Limbo Drum suggests that they will live together in the near future and wait for a more stable solution.