Silence du choeur

The winner of the 2021 Goncourt Prize delivers a powerful choral fable, brought to the stage by about twenty performers. 72 guys from West Africa land in a small village at the foot of Mount Etna. Their arrival divides the inhabitants. A suspended time then begins: the wait for papers with this latency that fuels distrust and wears down wills. Over the months, solidarity weakens as political certainties turn into frustrations. On stage, 11 actors and actresses and about ten extras bring this fresco to life in French, in which Italian, Bambara, or Serer also resonate. With the urgency of her commitment to exiled people, Marie-Aurore d’Awans takes hold of this magnificent text and raises a burning question: what are we ready to share with those who arrive?