LES INAMOVIBLES (THE UNMOVABLE)

By Sèdjro Giovanni Houansou (Bénin)

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The 2019 archive

With RFI

Malik threw himself under a train rather than return, defeated, to a country where his father and other exiled parents are waiting for him. In a strange no man’s land the undead gather, hoping to one day be able to return, at the mercy of a strange smuggler and his daughter. In seven movements, the play transports us to an uncertain collective space… while also entering the characters’ private thoughts. Both those who left and those who remain.
LES INAMOVIBLES (THE UNMOVABLE) © DR

Presentation

Malik threw himself under a train rather than return, defeated, to a country where his father and other exiled parents are waiting for him. In a strange no man's land the undead gather, hoping to one day be able to return, at the mercy of a strange smuggler and his daughter. In seven movements, the play transports us to an uncertain collective space... while also entering the characters' private thoughts. Both those who left and those who remain.

Sèdjro Giovanni Houansou began his artistic career as an actor, before turning to direction and writing. He has written several plays, including 7 milliards de voisins, published by éditions Plurielles in 2012, which won the national “Plumes dorées” writing competition and received a jury prize at the international festival of university theatre Universi'arts. Twice a runner-up for the Prix Théâtre RFI for his plays Courses au soleil (2016) and La Rue bleue (2017), he finally won in 2018 with Les Inamovibles.

Defining himself as a writer dedicated to “writing about the socio-cultural and political reality of Africa,” he also organises with the Sudcréa association “Les Embuscades de la Scène”, which aims to give young directors from Benin an opportunity for exposure, as well as “Les didascalies du monde”, monthly public readings of texts by French-speaking authors. He just created the benincrea.net platform to help publicise artistic opportunities in Africa.

The author received the Visa creative grant from the Institut français as well as the support of the Institut français du Bénin.

The Prix RFI Théâtre 2018 was organised in partnership with the Institut français, the SACD, the Francophonies-De l'écriture à la scène, the théâtre de l'Aquarium, and the CDN Normandie-Rouen.

Les Inamovibles by Sèdjro Giovanni Houansou is published by éditions Tapuscrit/Théâtre Ouvert (2019).

Distribution

Read by Tom Adjibi, Alvie Bitemo, Julien Mabiala Bissila, Louisia Ngolo-Ame,
Lamine Diarra, Serge Yéroné Koto

Conception and coordination Pascal Paradou
Direction Armel Roussel
Artistic collaboration Valavane Koumarane
Sound creation Pierre-Alexandre Lampert

Production

Coproduction RFI and Compagnie [e]utopia
With the support of
the SACD and its programme for culture and radio, Wallonie-Bruxelles International

Practical infos

Pictures

Jardin de la rue de Mons © Christophe Raynaud de Lage