Avignon, le rêve que nous faisons tous

1 September 2015 to 23rd April 2016. Tuesdays 1:30 to 5pm. Wednesdays to Fridays 9 to 12 and 1:30 to 5pm. Saturdays 10 to 5.
The Avignon Festival got its start in the fertile imagination of Jean Vilar. Since its inception, and through to the latest nomination of Olivier Py, the Festival has been run by a series of directors who did not come from the stage. Each director was in charge of the Festival, each in his or her own way, each with the Festival's audiences in mind. Above and beyond the stage and backstage, "Avignon" has turned into a phenomenon which powerfully questions contemporary society, despite the fact that live theatre usually involves only a relatively small fragment of the population.
No charge.
A review of the history of the past 70 years - a challenging and necessary exercise. The presence of Jean Vilar, founder of the Avignon Festival, remains strong. The lessons he imparted, his influence are inherent in the venue that bears his name. Does this mean we must struggle against Vilar? That is not the point. Jean Vilar was the starting point for the irresistible proliferation of countless theatrical offerings. The "Festival Off" arose from the counter-culture. Today the Off has to face the aggressive marketing scene, while the In continues to assert independence and freedom, above the fray. This installation explores the context of each era in this infinitely expanding field of struggle. It looks at the successes and the challenges, and shows where the society of the performing arts overlaps with the show that society itself continually presents. The Maison Jean Vilar is a concentrate of exhibition space, videotheque and library. It is the decentralized branch of the French National Library (Bibliothèque National de France) dedicated to the performing arts. The Maison Jean Vilar offers meetings, shows, classes and publications which include the Cahiers Jean Vilar.

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