open letter re: freedom of expression and R Castellucci's production in Paris

Theatre against Fanaticism 

Support Committee for Freedom to Present the Romeo Castellucci’s Production

At the Théâtre de la Ville in Paris 

  Since its première on the 20th October, the performances of « Sur le concept du visage du fils de Dieu » by Romeo Castellucci, at the Théâtre de la Ville, have given rise to serious events.

   An organised group of fundamentalist Christians proclaiming to be linked to the Action française (a far right French movement) has been trying to prevent access to the Théâtre de la Ville by blocking its doors, attacking and threatening the public, spraying them with oil, throwing tear gas, eggs and stink bombs while their accomplices, militants of Renouveau Français (another far right movement), enter the theatre, interrupt the start of the performance, occupying the stage and presenting their battle cry, “Enough of Christianophobia!”.

   L’AGRIF (association against anti-white and anti-christian racism) had demanded that the production be legally prohibited, but this was dismissed by the Tribunal de Grande Instance on 18 October 2011.

   The police stand every day at the entrance to the theatre and we have been obliged to call them inside several times in order to evacuate those occupying the stage, as we are careful to avoid confrontation between these invaders and a public outraged by such actions.

   The staff of the theatre is determined and effective in these distressing circumstances and despite numerous incidents and interruptions, the performances have been able to go ahead so far.

   That these groups of violent and organised individuals defending religion against a so-called “christianophobia” would be linked to religious or political movements, needs investigation.  In any case, this behaviour for us is evidence of fanaticism, that enemy of freedom and the Enlightenment which France, in its most noble periods, has fought so well against.  The theatre has very often been a decisive space for these struggles.

   We cannot stand by and do nothing.  Such actions are serious; they show a new, clearly fascist direction. These groups of individuals hasten to automatically declare “blasphemous” productions which are not directed against believers, nor against Christianity.  Theatre critics of important media, not making any mystery of their Christian faith, praised the production without reserve at its presentation in Avignon.   We invite you also to read the statement by Romeo Castellucci, published in the programme distributed every night to the public, in order to understand his artistic intentions.

   We do not intend to give way to these hideous threats and the production will be maintained despite all attempts at intimidation. We invite the pubic exercise its freedom to attend.  The production, co-produced by the Théâtre de la Ville, will be performed until the 30th October after which it will recommence, in the context of our partnership, at the Centquatre from 2 to 6 November.

   It is worth mentioning that the production has already been presented without any difficulty in Germany, Belgium, Norway, the UK, Spain, Russia, the Netherlands, Greece, Switzerland, Poland and Italy and that it is only in France where such demonstrations of intolerance have taken place.

  We have therefore created a support committee addressed to all people of good will– and this expression is particularly welcome -  in order to defend, beyond Romeo Castellucci’s production, the freedom of expression, the freedom of artists and freedom of thought, against this new fascism.

 Emmanuel Demarcy-Mota

Director and the staff of the Théâtre de la Ville.

 * * *   Initial signatories :

 Patrice Chéreau, theatre director

Stéphane Hessel

Michel Piccoli, actor

Sylvie Testud, actor

Sasha Waltz, choreographer, Berlin

Arnaud Desplechin, filmmaker

Luc Bondy, theatre director

Jean-Michel Ribes, writer, theatre director

Bulle Ogier, actor

Barbet Schroeder, filmmaker

Juliette Binoche, actor

Elodie Bouchez, actor

Claude Régy, theatre director

Christophe Girard, President, Centquatre

Joseph Melillo, Director, Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York

Stéphane Lissner, Director, la Scala, Milan

Dominique Mercy, Director, Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch

Brigitte Jaques Wajeman, theatre director

Jean-Claude Milner, philosopher

Pascal Bonitzer, filmmaker

Jacques-Alain Miller, psychanalyste

Judith Miller, philosopher

Marc Olivier Dupin, composer

Peter de Caluwe, General Director, la Monnaie/De Munt, Brussels

Christian Longchamp, Assistant Artistic Director and Director of Dramaturgy, la Monnaie/ De Munt, Brussels

Jean-Luc Choplin, Director, Théâtre du Châtelet

Yorgos Loukos, Director, Festival of Athens

Simon McBurney, theatre director, UK

José Manuel Goncalves, Director, Centquatre

François Le Pillouer, President, SYNDEAC

Lloyd Newson, choreographer, UK

Anne Delbée, writer and theatre director

Jack Ralite, former minister

Ushio Amagatsu, choreographer, Japan

Georges Banu, Honorary President of the International Association of Theatre Critics

Monique Veaute, President of the Foundation RomaEuropa

Fabrizio Grifasi, Director, RomaEuropa

Claus Peymann, Director, Berliner Ensemble

Support can be sent via e-mail to the following address : 

comite-de-soutien-castellucci@theatredelaville.com