Mohamed El Khatib

La Dispute

Archive 2020
Theatre
Théâtre-Sénart, Scène nationale
octoberoct 2 – 3
Espace 1789, scène conventionnée danse – Saint-Ouen
novembernov 6 – 7
La Ferme du Buisson, Scène nationale – cinéma – centre d’art contemporain
novembernov 15
Scène nationale de l’Essonne – Centre Culturel Robert Desnos
decemberdec 4
Théâtre des Quartiers d'Ivry
januaryjan 9 – 16
Théâtre de Chelles
marchmar 19
Points communs – Théâtre des Louvrais
junejun 17 – 19

© © Yohanne Lamoulere / Tendance Floue ©

© © Yohanne Lamoulère / Tendance floue ©

© © Yohanne Lamoulère / Tendance floue ©

1/3

Conceived and directed by Mohamed El Khatib
With Aaron, Amélie, Camille, Éloria, Ihsen, Imran, Jeanette, Maëlla, Malick, Solal, Swann (alternatively)
Artistic collaboration, Marie Desgranges
Dramaturgy, Vassia Chavaroche
Stage design and artistic collaboration, Fred Hocké
Sound, Arnaud Léger
Video and editing, Emmanuel Manzano
Production Collectif Zirlib
Coproduced by Tandem scène nationale (Arras-Douai) ; Théâtre de la Ville-Paris ; Théâtre National de Bretagne (Rennes) ; Malraux scène nationale Chambéry Savoie ; Théâtre du Beauvaisis – Scène Nationale (Beauvais) ; Théâtre de Choisy-le-Roi ; La Coursive – Scène nationale de la Rochelle ; Scène nationale d’Aubusson ; Festival d’Automne à Paris
First performed on the 8th November 2019 at Théâtre de la Ville-Paris, with Festival d’Automne à Paris

Far from any Marivaux-like literary flourishes, this production brings us words spoken in a direct, unflinching way on the subject of the marital dispute, the premonition of the break-up. Given that they are the ones best placed to talk about it – though rarely listened to – the director Mohamed El Khatib invites children of parents who have split up to take to the stage and give their own points of view.

The real has always played the leading role in the works of Mohamed El Khatib. Considering no area of investigation out of limits to him, he prefers experience to expertise, source to digression, and personal account to professional analysis. Thus, a far car away from the alarming picture painted by psychologists, jurists, and sociologists in relation to the effects of divorce on the lives of children, he met, over the course of several months, around one hundred children aged 8 years old, of different origins. Right in the middle this tearing apart, how are they affected by the decision of their parents? What words do they put to this crucial event occurring in the early stages of their lives? How do they view this breaking of a sentimental engagement that they always thought was unconditional? Did they guess it was going to happen? Had they taken sides? Caught up in the ruins of this doubling up of the family unit, how do they, themselves, rebuild their lives? What questions had they always dreamt of asking their parents? This latest fiction by Mohamed El Khatib, written through the prism of childhood, treads a delicate path between audacity and discretion, emotion and mischievousness, and offers us a unique insight into a universal subject in society.

See also

Théâtre de la Ville – Les Abbesses
septembersept 12 – 26
Espace 1789, scène conventionnée danse – Saint-Ouen
octoberoct 8 – 9
Théâtre Cinéma de Choisy-le-Roi – Scène conventionnée d’intérêt national art et création pour la diversité linguistique
octoberoct 11
Points communs – Théâtre 95
decemberdec 18 – 20

Mohamed El Khatib
La vie secrète des vieux

Theatre
Buy tickets

Mohamed El Khatib furthers his passion for documentary theatre by tackling a subject that he brings from out of the shadows, namely that of eroticism and the love lives of “oldies”. Put together in a daring yet tender way, his new piece explores this theme from the perspective of desire, thereby going against the usual connotations associated with old age. 
Théâtre du Rond-Point
octoberoct 15 – 19
Espace 1789, scène conventionnée danse – Saint-Ouen
decemberdec 19 – 20

Talents Adami Theater, Mohamed El Khatib
Stand-up

Theatre
Buy tickets

What will it be this time: thunderous applause or icy silence? In Mohamed El Khatib's opinion, the inherently risky nature of stand-up comedy elevates it to a theatrical art in its own right. A framework for expression of all kinds, it clears the path for transgressive laughter, in a cathartic space which brings us all together.

In the same place

Théâtre de la Ville – Les Abbesses
septembersept 12 – 26
Espace 1789, scène conventionnée danse – Saint-Ouen
octoberoct 8 – 9
Théâtre Cinéma de Choisy-le-Roi – Scène conventionnée d’intérêt national art et création pour la diversité linguistique
octoberoct 11
Points communs – Théâtre 95
decemberdec 18 – 20

Mohamed El Khatib
La vie secrète des vieux

Theatre
Buy tickets

Mohamed El Khatib furthers his passion for documentary theatre by tackling a subject that he brings from out of the shadows, namely that of eroticism and the love lives of “oldies”. Put together in a daring yet tender way, his new piece explores this theme from the perspective of desire, thereby going against the usual connotations associated with old age. 
Points communs – Théâtre des Louvrais
novembernov 14 – 16
Scène nationale de l'Essonne – Théâtre de l’Agora
novembernov 19 – 20
MC93 – Maison de la Culture de Seine-Saint-Denis
novembernov 29 - december – dec 29
La Merise
decemberdec 12 – 14
La Ferme du Buisson, Scène nationale – cinéma – centre d’art contemporain
decemberdec 18 – 19

Joël Pommerat
Marius

Theatre

Inspired by the work of Marcel Pagnol, this show explores the theme of escape. Some of the actors had their first experience of theatre at the Maison centrale d'Arles prison. Marius provides audiences with a unique opportunity to discover a little-known but crucial dimension of Joël Pommerat's art.
Théâtre du Rond-Point
octoberoct 15 – 19
Espace 1789, scène conventionnée danse – Saint-Ouen
decemberdec 19 – 20

Talents Adami Theater, Mohamed El Khatib
Stand-up

Theatre
Buy tickets

What will it be this time: thunderous applause or icy silence? In Mohamed El Khatib's opinion, the inherently risky nature of stand-up comedy elevates it to a theatrical art in its own right. A framework for expression of all kinds, it clears the path for transgressive laughter, in a cathartic space which brings us all together.
Centre Pompidou
decemberdec 13 – 22
Théâtre des Quartiers d'Ivry
januaryjan 22 – 26

Sébastien Kheroufi
Par les villages

Theatre
Buy tickets

Sébastien Kheroufi discovered Peter Handke's Par les villages at the onset of his artistic career. It evokes a writer's return to his native village. Amidst the twilight setting in which one universe declines in favour of another, the voices of the “offended and humiliated” break their silence.