If Exchange Theatre was a body, we’d say that our heart is our artistic team and their professional shows, and that our lungs are our French drama workshops. Both work days and nights in our London Bridge studio. The heart can’t beat without the oxygen support of our community, and the lungs can’t function without the beating of the artistic core. And every year since 2008, our full body gets immodestly displayed during our Bastille Theatre Week.
It all started when in order to showcase the work of our students, we hired a theatre their first show and logically decided to pair it with one of our company’s professional translation and creation. We produced Feydeau one-act farces, never translated before in English, the first translations of many.
‘Exchange Theatre has done a service translating these plays into English’ 2010 Reviewsgate
Two years later, we had three students showcases to present, and a two-weeks run of our main show. And by the sixth Bastille Theatre Week, we had four amateur groups, some of them presenting three to four nights, and the proslaunched an ambitious project:
The same show, produced alternately in English and in French with bilingual cast and creatives. Along the years, the festival became a rendez-vous for our amdram French community and their friends gathering around the great human Exchange that is Theatre.
Last year, our artistic director got nominated for a Best director award, celebrating not only our cultural work but also the symbolical bridge that the company represents in a post-Bexit Uk: a dialogue between our neighbour countries, our two languages, between theatre lovers and theatre makers wherever they come from. We’re looking forward to seeing many of you and Exchange more and more...
“How poignant that this Anglo-French collaboration should be staged right here, right now – Bravo et merci” 2015 Broadway World
Bastille Festival 2017
10th Edition
13th June to 16th July
Misanthrope
MOLIERE V/S FAKE NEWS
EXCHANGE THEATRE IN THE NEWSROOM
Alceste is an honourable and outspoken man, in love with Célimene, a bright but slightly vain socialite. Tormented by a trial, he confides to his friend Philinte about his love and how he despises society’s complacency. His complicated love-life is then challenged even more when he abruptly witnesses the gossips and small talks going on between Célimene and her court.
In a time of ‘alternative facts’ and ‘fake news’, Misanthrope finds unanticipated echoes in the world today. Alceste, the most loyal man in the world, lacks only one virtue: indulgence for other’s behaviours. His search for genuineness against hypocrisy, special interests and treachery calls for a new London production in 2017. With his unique touch, Off West End Best Director nominee David Furlong returns to direct, fresh from his stint at the Royal Opera House.
C A S T I N G
Simeon Oakes (Philinte)
Simeon trained at Drama Studio London. Professional credits include: Aramis in the BBC event for their show The Musketeers; Mademoiselle Julie, The Barbican - starring Juliette Binoche; King Henry V and Lancaster in Henry VI, The Union Theatre; Sherlock Holmes in Sherlock Holmes, The Leicester Square & King's Head Theatres; Peer Gynt in Peer Gynt, Riverside Studios; Prince Cyril in Princess Ida, The Finborough; Samuel in The Pirates of Penzance, Tabard Theatre; Lt. Mulvaney in While The Sun Shines, Pentameters; Secret Cinema's The Battle of Algiers, Old Vic Tunnels; The Shawshank Redemption; Hotel manager in The Grand Eagle Hotel with Laura Marling; Adam in the premiere of new musical Love Beyond (transferred to Wembley Arena); Simeon was selected to attend a workshop at the Royal Shakespeare Company where he met and worked with Hannah Miller and Cicely Berry. He has a passion for classical theatre from around the world.
David Furlong (Alceste/Director)
David Furlong is the founder and artistic director of Exchange Theatre. He trained in France at the National Theatre of Chaillot. Prior to his training, he was part of a rep company for which he performed many French classics: Moliere, Hugo, Marivaux, Musset... In Paris, he worked with many famous directors including Hans Peter Cloos, Deborah Warner and Michel Lopez. His theatre credits in France include Monserrat in Monserrat, the Father in Tatoo, Camille in A Flea in His Ear. In London, he took part in many productions including Love’s Labours Lost, The Rover, Red Oleander and the Rover. For Exchange Theatre, he was Lucien in Feydeau’s Madame Late’s Mother, Orestes in JP Sartre’s the Flies, Philippe in A Family Affair and Creon in Antigone. Along his writing work (he wrote 12 shows for a children season at the French Institute), he has directed many plays for the company: The Exchange by Paul Claudel, Bal Trap by Xavier Durringer, Business which he also wrote. He has recently worked with Jo Hill-Gibbins on the Changeling at the Young Vic. David has now taught for over eight years in both French and English. He was a guest teacher at Arts Educational and directs Exchange Theatre amateurs group. He is still a personal coach to many professional actors. Last summer, he directed The Doctor In Spite of Himself which was nominated for Best Director at the Offies. He is recipient of the Stage Directors Uk mentoring programme. He also work at the Royal Opera house as a staff director.
Fanny Dulin (Arsinoe/Eliante)
Fanny Dulin is originally from Bordeaux. She trained at the Bridge Theatre Training Company in London. After graduating, she was Christine in Miss Julie, Pilate in The Mystery Plays, Bella in Operation New Life and Hippolyta in A Midsummer night’s dreams. She regularly works on film from shorts to big productions (she appeared alongside Johnny Deep in Sweeney Todd by Tim Burton). In 2006, she co-founded Exchange Theatre for which she performs and produced: Marthe in The Exchange (Paul Claudel), Bubble in Bal Trap (Durringer), Adelaide in a House Bath, Yvonne in a Madame’s Late Mother (Feydeau) and Clytemnestra in the Flies (Sartre). She also performed the Parisian comedy Post It for a couple of month at the Café Theatre des Chartrons in Bordeaux. She regularly works at the French Institute where she created their monthly French tales. Being resident there for a couple of year, she performed many various parts during the “au theatre this Sunday” season: from a little girl in Nuts to a tour guide in Sleeping Beauty. In 2013 and 2014, she was Yolande in A Family Affair, performing in both English and French. Recently, she took the part of the nourrice in Anouilh’s Antigone, Ismene in Et Toi Ismene, directed by Nathalie Adam for Chemistry Theatre, Jacqueline in The Doctor In Spite of Himself and Laurent Gaudet’s Médée Kali at the Voila Festival. She is also the executive director of Exchange Theatre and teaches drama to kids in French.
Palmyre Ligué (Oronte)
The Misanthrope is Palmyre’s second production since graduating from London School of Dramatic Art (LSDA) last July. During the first week of May he will be part of a Reuben Feels immersive musical. Palmyre grew up in Lausanne (Switzerland) and moved to London in 2015. The young actor has never performed in French - his first language - and is thrilled about this opportunity. He would love to walk on both London and Paris’ stages.
Anoushka Ravanshad (Célimène)
Anoushka, a French-Iranian actress, started doing impersonations and accents at 5. She attended youth theatre/musical theatre programs from 9 to 15 (Sylvia Young, Cours Simon). After receiving a BA in Global Communications and working as a journalist, she attended the classical acting course at LAMDA (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts). After several tv appearances, short films and commercials in Europe, she acted in the feature A Beautiful Now which brought her to LA early 2013. She's kept busy with commercials (Google, Samsung…), her own short called Connected, selected in international festivals. Back in Europe in 2016, she worked as a producer for commercials in virtual reality and as an actress on the tv series Le Bureau des Légendes, commercials (Magnet Kitchens, Qatar Airways).
Luca Fontaine (Acaste)
Luca was born in Paris from a French Father and an Italian mother. He completed his university degree in Italian Literature at the University of Paris-Sorbonne Nouvelle while training as an actor first at the Cours Simon in Paris and then at the National Conservatoire of Versailles.
He then decided to move to London 2 years ago joining the Actors Centre and becoming a proud member of the National Youth Theatre. He has been working and practicing his craft with the National Theatre, RADA, NYT and Identity School of Acting.
While training in France, he has performed in a wide variety of plays from playwrights such as Molière, Victor Hugo or Bernard-Marie Koltès. He recently finished two shows here in London (Whispers of the Week/All the World's a Stage) and was in a show written by Brad Birch (United Agents), directed by Owen Horsley (RSC) with the National Youth Theatre. He is now thrilled to be part of this new project ''The Misanthrope'' being his favourite Molière's play.
James Buttling (Clitandre)
James Buttling was born in the UK and raised in France by British parents, after a foundation course at Rose Bruford he graduated with a BA in performing arts from the Universite Michel de Montaigne in Bordeaux. After graduating, he joined La Compagnie des Figures, a Bordeaux based theatre company and worked with them for 2 years working on Fassbinder's plays. After touring "Les Ordures, La Ville et La Mort" in several cities of the south of France, James decided to move to London, wanting to work in English. James theatre credits include Trisotin in Les Femmes Savantes by Moliere, Romeo in Romeo And Juliette by Shakespeare, Puck in Midsummer Nights Dream by Shakespeare, and most recently The Dwarf in Les Ordures, La Ville et La Mort by Fassbinder."
What's on
Misanthrope
A production of Molière's classic comedy, The Misanthrope, performed in English and French, is coming to London's the Drayton Arms Theatre. The Anglo-French collaboration bilingual production will run at the South Kensington theatre from June 13th to July 8th, with 20 performances in each language (nearly half the performances in French and the rest in English). In a time of "alternative facts" and "fake news", Misanthrope finds unanticipated echoes in the world today : Alceste, the most loyal man in the world, lacks only one virtue represents indulgence for others' behaviours.
The Misanthrope (in English) 8pm
13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 27th, 28th, 29th June, 7th and 8th July 2017
Le Misanthrope (in French) 8pm
20th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th 30th June, 1st, 4th, 5th and 6th July 2017
Book here
Une Histoire de Famille
This show gathers individuals around key events in their lives, from marriages to burials, most often around a meal or a drink. Situations, both funny and tragic, but never serious, like life itself. A selection of the best of French playwrights.
ALL IN FRENCH
Saturday 15 July, at 6 pm
Sunday 16 July, 2017, at 5 pm
Book here
Lost in Translation
A Bilingual Journey: Interactive, thought-provoking and educational, the show questions the idea of home, identity and language learning in a playful manner.
ALL IN ENGLISH
Book here
Kiki, the Queen of Montparnasse
In the vibrant Paris of the Roaring Twenties, Alice Prin, illegitimate child from a destitute family makes her way up to glory.
ALL IN ENGLISH
Book here.
Un Fil à la Patte
One of the most dynamic and entertaining piece ever written by French comedy genius George Feydeau, "Un fil à la patte" explores the falsehoods of social and couple relationships in a light and playful way.
ALL IN FRENCH
Saturday 1st and 8th July at 6 pm
Sunday 2nd and 9th July at 5 pm
Book here
The Earls Court Drama Workshop
Marianne Badrichani and Laure Frétigné present for their 4th year running a showing of their students' work : Le Voyage de M. Perrichon en Angleterre and selected pieces.
ALL IN FRENCH
Book here
Hervé
A busker of French African descent tells the extraordinary tale of his adoption by an unconventional white Belgian couple who travelled the world. Delving into issues of race and individuality, the show explores why Hervé is the man he is today. HERVÉ was nominated for a Fringe First award at the Edinburgh Festival.
ALL IN ENGLISH
Monologues, Bilogues, Trilogues
It shows a succession of delirious, absurd or crazy intrigues, slices of life or chronicles of everyday life, by one of the most important playwright, director and theatre-maker in France, Jean-Michel Ribes.
ALL IN FRENCH
Sunday 25 June 2017, at 5 pm
Book here
Cuisine et Dépendances
The tension rises during an evening amongst friends. The presence of a special guest brings up nostalgia, old grudges and jealousies between dishes and tea towels. A cult French comedy by Agnes Jaoui and Jean-Pierre Bacri.
ALL IN FRENCH
From 12 to 15 July 2017, at 8pm
Book here
VENUE
Drayton Arms theatre
153 Old Brompton Rd, London SW5 0LJ
www.thedraytonarmstheatre.co.uk
WEBSITE
PRESS CONTACTS
English
Chris Hislop
chris.hislop@gmail.com / 07711 033205
www.chrishislop.com
Français
Clara Martins
info@echangetheatre.com / +33687291709
English
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