Les téméraires, a play about the Dreyfus affair at the Comédie Bastille

Les téméraires, can be seen at the Comédie Bastille in Paris's 11th arrondissement, until June 16, 2024. A historical comedy, it takes us back to the time of theDreyfus Affair, focusing on the story ofEmile Zola and Georges Méliès.

Julien Delpech and Alexandre Foulon, authors of Les Téméraires (their first theatrical work), wanted to put the spotlight on Émile Zola, notably with J'accuse, and Georges Méliès, who is perhaps less well known to the French than Zola is today, but who deserves it just as much, according to the authors.

Zola had published an article on theDreyfus Affair in 1898, J'accuse, in the form of an open letter to then-president Félix Faure. A"Dreyfusard", Émile Zola defended Dreyfus in this article, still extremely well known over a hundred years later. Georges Méliès, for his part, released an 11-minute film during the dark Dreyfus Affair, in which he recreated the Dreyfus trial. The"Dreyfusard" film was more successful abroad than in France, and today Méliès is considered a precursor of reconstructed newsreels, even inspiring today's television news. The Dreyfus Affair divided France for over ten years.

According to director Charlotte Matzneff,Les téméraires is a play that is accessible to all. Although it deals with courage and duty, it is not intended as a moral lesson. It tells the story of the"dreyfusard" in a light-hearted, playful atmosphere. The director has also chosen to incorporate music into this historical comedy, by including the piano ofÉmile Zola 's wife, Alexandrine, in the staging.

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The Compagnie Le Grenier de Babouchka, founded in 2003, will be on stage, with 7 actors playing a total of 30 characters. The actors will reveal the courage of the daredevils who, "armed with their courage and an uncommon sense of duty, bring the truth to light."

The historical play Les téméraires can be seen at La Comedie Bastille until June 16, 2024.

Our opinion:

Les téméraires, a historical comedy, reminds us of the facts of theDreyfus Affair, in a clear and humorous way. Interesting for those new to the affair that shook France for several years, the play focuses on the points of view of Zola and Méliès.

We juggle between the filmmaker and the writer, with the help of Charlotte Matzneff's effective and entertaining staging. The actors play so many different roles, you almost forget there are only seven of them. The comedy highlights the suffering endured by Dreyfus and the struggle of Zola and Méliès. Romain Lagarde plays Emile Zola as a powerful man who wants to fight. The actor takes us with him in his fight against injustice. The comedy Les téméraires is a must-see not only to learn the basics of the Dreyfus Affair and better understand the French landscape at the time, but also to discover a talented company: Le Grenier de Babouchka .