It is the happy director of La Scala, the last-born of the meeting in paris, a former café-concert that it was recreated in September 2018 with a modular room with 530 seats, and soon a small 150-seater. A theatre eclectic, which is packed with the performances of Alexis Michalik or Yoann Bourgeois, and that has stopped, like all the others, march 13.
But the scene is not empty, its director has proposed to artists such as François Morel for rehearsals. During two months, he has developed, always in relation with the artists, a season that will make beautiful creations that were imagined during this period of closure.
The Point : What is your feeling after these two months of confinement and closing of the theatres ?
Frédéric Biessy , director of La Scala in Paris © ©Cécile VaccaroJe am amazed. Or by the silence of some artists that we would like to hear what they have to say – but perhaps only have they nothing to say at all, even if some of their shows, which proposed a reflection on society could we hope for a spontaneous reaction on their part. Either by the vehemence of others who require more financial aid. If it is subsidised theatres, the staff is paid by the grant. And the problem is most acute, what are the intermittent workers who may not earn any money – and, fortunately, the government allows one year white for their rights.
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And for the theatres ” private “, which do not receive subsidies ?
It must be aid certainly, but we the “private” must make proposals and to allow the State to be our partner on the basis of a project.
would You like to reopen it, but under what conditions ? A large number of the directors of the room and explain that they may not reopen their room with the requirement of a distance of 1 meter, one or two vacant seats, three rows empty in front of the stage, etc
of course, the private theatres can’t afford to lose money on a show. Their economy is based on their revenue from ticketing. When one creates a spectacle, in our case, for example, there are, on the one side the producer and on the other, the director. The recipe serves up to the producer to pay for the production of the show, the artists, the rehearsals, the launch, etc to The director, it is used to pay for the operation of the theatre : current expenses, the personnel (box office, ushers, in charge of production, press officers…). The budget of a show is calculated as a function of the gauge of the hall (530 chairs with us) and the duration of its operation. For example, a show whose cost of creation is between 300 000 and 400 000 euros, with us a range of places from 18 to 50 euros, once the amortized cost after a certain number of representations, it becomes possible not to fill the hall 100 %. But it takes time and success.
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This was the case when you had to close ?
Almost ; with A love story of Alexis Michalik, who had started in January and had to stop in June and resume in September. The room was full every evening, and it was starting to go into our expenses.
So, as soon as the government will give the green light, you are ready to re-open and less “complete” ? But,in other cases, if the recipe did not cover everything, it is impossible.
Yes. We are looking forward, Alexis, his gang, and me, to resume A love Story, but I will open also The Scala, with other shows in different forms that will allow our small room (one or two artists on stage, musicians, meetings with thinkers, etc) by testing in a first-time occupancy of a hundred chairs for a meeting, and then, if it works, two cents, etc, It is necessary to invent, and the economy and shows, but the spirit of The Scala responds to this “morphology” while modulations. Our audience, young, from an average of 35 years, too. In other situations, as often in the private theatre, when the coming of the public depends on the headliners that necessarily to be expensive and that it is necessary to “fill in” to be able to continue, it is more complicated, if not impossible.
In the case of single(e) – en-scene, shows very popular, the rooms could re-open also ? An artist, no contact…
whether François Morel, Jos Houben or other artists ” only in scene “, we know that the decisive factor is the proximity of the artist with his public. It should be in the world, grouped and not scattered, so that the atmosphere is created, that the laugh wins all the ranks. Also, the rooms where they occur, are often intimate, except for the stars in major venues such as the Zenith, and the first row very close to the stage.
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Is it that, as he said for the publishing or contemporary art, the theatre would suffer from a too-full ?
No ! the more bids, the better it is. I do not think of any cake that we are sharing. The public increases.
You really believe that people have the means to go to the theater several times a month ?
The problem is not the frequency, but they have the choice. There are many forms of theatre, and this is the challenge for today, to invent, to reinvent.
Your impatience to re-open not you would not see everything in pink ?
Why is it urgent to re-open our theatres ? They are not only entertainment, but also places of debate, of solidarity. We are the first forum in which audience and artists have been deprived. To those who call to open only when all the conditions are met for the theatres to make room fills up, I say : “Don’t sacrifice the commercial imperative to the vital role of the theatre : the sharing ! We are here to enlighten, confront points of view, furthering the thought. Not only to collect our revenues. “The party starts as soon as possible !
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