In Meurthe-et-Moselle, it is now an unmissable festival. Aux Actes Citoyens offers, this year again, a great program that mixes big names in show business and young talents.
This 32e editing of the Rencontres théâtrales de Tomblaine is already a success even though it has just begun. The public rushed for reservations a few weeks earlier. 10,000 spectators are expected.
Low cost shows
Since this weekend, Tomblaine, a town of 9,000 inhabitants near Nancy, has been living to the rhythm of one show after another. Classical or contemporary theatre, commedia dell’arte, circus, comedy, artistic performances, there is something for everyone. Plurality is the strength of the Citizen Acts festival. The public has already been able to enjoy the shows ofBeloved Company, Harlequin’s Triumph by Carlo Boso and Victor Hugo’s masterpiece, Wretched. This troupe of promising actors opened the carnivals of Venice and Milan last February. This is one of the reasons for the festival : allow the public to discover nuggets. Talented young companies but also big names in national and international theatre. Hence the growing success of the event.
This year, reservations got off to a flying start. Some spectators have anticipated, from the month of March, to be sure of having places. “I have booked several shows because I always enjoy coming” explains a regular. The cost of the shows, which varies between 17 and 21 euros for the most prestigious, is the other advantage of the Rencontres théâtrales de Tomblaine. “It’s a festival that is super accessible because we are on pieces of extreme quality at unbeatable prices” adds another viewer.
A festival that seduces the greatest artists
If the public is, over the years, more and more present, the artists also jostle to perform there. Annie Girardot, Jean Piat, Bernadette Laffont, Anne Roumanov, Daniel Prévost…: a multitude of stars have played on the stage of Citizen Acts. A pride for its founder. “The greatest come back. We don’t have to call them. Des Galabru, Trintignant had asked me until the end of their career to play at Tomblaine. Recently Annie Duperey or Mathilda May told me: we have to come back in your festival” says Hervé Féron, organizer and mayor of Tomblaine. This year, Victoria Chaplin, daughter of Charlie Chaplin, and Jean-Baptiste Thierrée opened the festival with their show The invisible circus.
The play by Jean-Philippe Daguerre and Pierre-Olivier Scotto, Moliere’s journey, will be in theaters on Thursday, May 18. That same day, the public will also be able to meet Fiona Gélin at 6:30 p.m., after her touching show To my father in which the actress performs texts by Daniel Gélin accompanied on guitar by ChardRy. François Morel, programmed for the first time at Theatrical meetings of Tomblainewill play and sing All sailors are singers, Friday May 19. The actor and humorist Titoff, sponsor of the festival, will also lead master classes which will give rise to a restitution on Saturday May 20, at the end of the afternoon, before The tamed shrew of William Shakespeare, revisited by the Alegria company. Show that will close the festival.
Citizen acts, 32nd Theatrical Encounters of Tomblaine
Espace Jean Jaurès, 3 avenue de la Paix in Tomblaine (Meurthe-et-Moselle) until May 20, 2023
