It is not always easy to keep this shows section updated regularly, as some of them do not stay in theaters long enough for me to find the time to see them and tell you about them before the performances end.
I have nevertheless managed to gather for you in this article a small selection of shows to see right now in Paris, with a great variety of themes: theater, circus, humor, music…
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Table of Contents
Pas d’souci: a wacky show full of wordplay
(by Julie Brando)
The Théâtre de la Contrescarpe has a sense of humor and a way with words! A charming little theater that hosts the actor Philippe Fertray on its stage. More than just an actor, he is a clownish, atypical, and tireless showman! With Pas d’souci, Philippe Fertray plays with words, the absurd, the improbable, and a gallery of characters. It all starts with a simple question: why do we even use the expression “Pas d’souci” (No worries)! Yes, but why, actually?
Perfectly written, clever, and ambitious, the show surprises with its frenetic pace and the uniqueness of its sequences. Philippe Fertray moves from one character to another, highlighting poor language habits and laughable, even ridiculous, behaviors.
His weapons: words, laughter, and voice. A vocal and physical power, because yes, Philippe Fertray moves constantly, occupying the stage space to exploit its full potential. Sometimes one gets lost in his very deep socio-humanistic reflections, but we appreciate the intelligence of the subject and the depiction of our fellow humans.
We cannot reproach the actor for daring, trying, teasing, and making us think. Whether he takes on the traits of a slightly dim-witted actress, Tristine Angoisse, a columnist strangely similar to a certain writer from the Ruquier show, or even a tourist back from New York, he leads us through the vast universe of communication and appearances with incredible ease.
On stage or on screen, the artist has fun and takes pleasure in inviting the spectator into his quest for the perfect word. He jumps, dances, manipulates, and uses all forms of decontextualized objects… A crazy but brilliant hodgepodge. Check it out soon!!!
Pas d'souci Wednesdays and Thursdays at 9:30 PM until July 26, 2018 Practical info and reservations: theatredelacontrescarpe.fr 5 rue Blainville, 75005 Paris Prices: from €12 to €26
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Qyrq Qyz and the forty girls at the Quai Branly Museum
(by Nicolas Diolez)
As usual, the Quai Branly highlights shows you wouldn’t see anywhere else. Qyrq Qyz and the forty girls is a legendary epic from the Central Asian steppes that masterfully blends film and concert. What impresses the most in this contemplative fresco is the singing and the images, which turn out to be completely beautiful and full of poetry.
You leave the show dreaming, with the sweet impression of having traveled to the other side of the world to discover another culture without even leaving your seat. A beautiful show, just as the Quai Branly knows how to reveal.
Until June 3, 2018
Musée du Quai Branly
Prices: €20 (full price) / €15 (reduced price – members/large families/people with disabilities) / €10 (reduced price – under 26/groups/job seekers-RSA) / the show ticket gives access to the mezzanine exhibitions and the museum's collections on the day of the performance_
Tabarnak: blessed be the circus!
(by Julie Brando)
Bobino
treats itself to a lovely family portrait with the Cirque Alfonse company and their new show Tabarnak! With their quirky hipster look, voices that shout national pride, and surprising agility, they offer us the most brilliantly zany circus show of the season.
A blessed show, in a way, since it invites us to an atypical mass during which solemn blasphemous sermons, popular Quebecois rock-folk-style songs, and breathtaking balancing acts clash. Tabarnak is a funny, messy, intelligent, crazy, ambitious, and poetic musical whirlwind. So many adjectives to highlight the rarity of a show that comes from the great cold but warms the heart.
It’s a kind of family party where every member takes risks, all while singing out loud and dancing in a holy place transformed into a space of free expression. This communicative creative fever enchants and surprises; we only have one wish: to invite them for a beer after the show.
Tabarnak proves that you can step off the beaten path and offer another way of doing circus. The magic happens on stage, where the artist finds his strength in the pleasure of taunting the divine. It’s frankly as good as a poutine by the fireplace! (Imagine the Quebecois accent!) It’s until June 9, and it’s something to discover urgently!
Tabarnak From May 16 to June 09, 2018 at Bobino! 14-20 Rue de la Gaité, 75014 Paris Practical info and reservations: www.bobino.fr Prices: from €19 to €49
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Denise jardinière vous invite chez elle
(by Nicolas Diolez)
Denise jardinière vous invite chez elle is a show that is astonishing from start to finish. With fierce black humor, actor Thibaut Boidin plays a slightly alchemist and very bizarre housekeeper who leads the spectator (literally) into the preparation of a meal for Denise jardinière.
In the setting of a small, intimate room, the Théâtre Essaion, the charm works quickly, and almost all the spectators get “thrown into the pot” to their great delight (and their greatest fear). A great success and a one-of-a-kind theatrical experience to be lived live!
Denise jardinière vous invite chez elle every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 9:30 PM from May 10 to July 28, 2018 Théâtre Essaion 6, rue Pierre au Lard 75004 Paris Prices: €25 / reduced €15
