With over 50,000 visitors per year, the Théâtre de Carouge is well known amongst the Geneva community for the quality and originality of its productions. When the theater troupe produced its first performance of La Nuit des Rois at La Salle du Cardinal-Mermillod in 1958, it very soon gained a loyal following of theater-lovers, keen to see its productions of both modern and classic works from playwrights such as Shakespeare, Goldoni, Tchékhov, Gorki, Brecht, Beckett, and Frisch, as well as local writers such as Louis Gaulis, Walter Weideli, and José Herrera Petere.
Although most of its performances are produced in French, the theater is keen to appeal to the wider English-speaking community as well. With this in mind, they now offer 2 or 3 plays each year, at which they feature English surtitles. And the feedback has been extremely positive! Indeed one member of the audience, who went to see a recent production of Shake, directed by Dan Jemmet, had such a glowing recommendation for the theater, that we have reproduced it in full here:
“I'm very passionate about theatre and so far I have been left cold by most of the professional French-language productions I have attended in Geneva. Shake is the first production I've seen at the Théâtre de Carouge. I didn't have very high hopes - I've seen Shakespeare done in French in Geneva and been bitterly disappointed by the lack of imagination in the staging, and the feeling that the actors and directors just didn't get it.
“This production certainly proved me wrong. It was original and dynamic, fun and touching. It had all of Shakespeare's humour and pathos and energy, and so much more besides. It was such a well-executed production that I didn't even miss what for me is the best part of Shakespeare - the original language. The acting was razor sharp and the piece was expertly directed; the staging, the costumes, the set, the music (especially the music!) - it all just worked perfectly.
“I should also say that the staff were very friendly and welcoming. I get the impression that the Théâtre de Carouge is a theatre that is not afraid to shake things up (no pun intended, really!) and that is very refreshing. I'll definitely be keeping an eye on them. They appear to be hosting some kind of national theatre festival in May, and it looks like there will be productions in several different languages, as well as talks and possibly even workshops.
“A big draw for the expat community is that they use English surtitles for some of their shows. I know that they had surtitles for a few of the performances of Shake. It's the first time I've seen a French-language production in Geneva offer English surtitles. All of this suggests a welcome lack of snobbery and a certain openness towards the international community in Geneva. This is quite rare in my experience; I find that the arts - theatre especially - can be rather inaccessible in this town.”
With such a glowing recommendation, it would be hard not to be tempted to see the theater’s next production with English surtitles, scheduled for 4, 5 and 6 February 2016. Called The Life I Gave You, the play focuses on a mother, Donn’Anna, played by Clotilde Mollet, whose only son returns after seven years' absence to die in the bed he used as a child. Donn’Anna loses him, again…or does she? For seven years ago, when he was just a little boy, he did not look like this stranger, altered by time, who returned just three days ago. Her memories of him are so strong… nothing has changed, so she continues to wait for him and he lives within her. People say she is crazy, but what if she is right? What if it were enough for “memory to be alive so that a dream may come true”?
In May 2016, the theater will also take part in organizing a Swiss Theater Meeting in Geneva, where 7 of the best Swiss theater shows of 2015 will be performed in German, French and Italian with English and French surtitles.
Although the majority of the shows performed at the theater are in French and from the classical repertory, there are often circus shows, and guest performances by famous Russian theatre companies like Vakhtangov or Fomenko Theaters with surtitles, as well as shows without any speaking parts. Indeed, James Thierrée, Charlie Chaplin’s grandson, will present the premiere of his new show, La Grenouille avait raison, at the Théâtre de Carouge from 5 April to 8 May 2016, a magical occasion sure to appeal to all nationalities.
With such a wide range of performances, it is hard to see what else the theater can do to attract even larger audiences. However, keen to appeal ever more to the international community, the managment team has created a short questionnaire, in which the English-speaking community is invited to offer its view on cultural life in Geneva. It takes just a few minutes to complete but participants will have the opportunity to win an invitation and reduced price ticket to one of the upcoming performances of The Life I Gave You with English surtitles. Click here to fill in the questionnaire.
To view the full line-up of performances scheduled this season at the Théâtre de Carouge, visit this page at the theater website.
Théâtre de Carouge-Atelier de Genève
Rue Ancienne 39
1227 Carouge
Switzerland
022 343 43 43
The Life I Gave You
Written by Luigi Pirandello
Directed by Jean Liermier
26 January - 14 February 2016
4, 5, 6 February 2016, with English surtitles
