In its twelfth season, Antibes’ flagship theatre once again brilliantly navigates the trifecta of avant-garde art, classical theatre, and popular entertainment.
The substantial international community in the South of France frequently voices the same complaint: “There is just not enough interesting programming for us non-Francophones to make us go to the theatre.” Often highly cultured and sophisticated, they feel unloved because their French may be just about sufficient to buy their daily croissants but following a play in the language of Molière may be out of reach. But Théâtre Anthéa has heard and understood the cry of frustration. And more than ever before, the current season offers an exciting, multicultural programme where international performers and French theatre craft meet.
It’s all thanks to Daniel Benoin. Anthéa’s Alsace-born founding director learned straddling cultures and languages early. Despite a professional lifetime spent in Paris and the South of France, and being a staunch lover of French authors, he is also deeply attached to themes of universality and cultural intersection. This shows in the work his house company, Collectif 8, which frequently tackles British and American authors. Another regular, Collectif La Machine, reinvents texts as varied as those of Kafka and James Matthew Barrie.
Daniel Benoin – courtesy Anthéa
Benoin’s signature is to bridge cultural gaps, making Anthéa a theatre of world perspectives – whether big international stars or local talent. He fosters an inviting space where plays and performers feel at home, regardless of origin, race, creed, or any other “defining” markers. Here, all artists and all art lovers are welcome.
In this spirit, RIVIERA BUZZ selected its favourites among the countless gold nuggets of this season. All dates, additional information, and booking details are listed on the theatre’s website.
Our Choice for the “Je ne parle pas français” Audience
Exit Above – November 15, 2024
Alain Platel’s Exit Above transforms Shakespeare’s The Tempest into a raw, deeply emotional work that speaks through movement and rhythm. Eschewing the need for words, the production uses dance and atmospheric music to evoke the power and complexity of Shakespearean themes. Audiences enter a world that feels at once mysterious and familiar—a theatrical reverie through which viewers are invited to feel, rather than simply watch.
Jeanne Mas – November 29, 2024
French pop icon Jeanne Mas brings her electrifying style, mixing retro 80s sounds with a modern twist. Her music, combined with a dramatic stage presence, captures an era while making it feel as fresh as ever. Nostalgia blends with a sense of futuristic cool, creating a performance that draws on shared memories and reaches across cultural lines.
Pink Martini – December 9, 2024
The worldly sound of Pink Martini combines jazz, samba, and pop in a whirlwind of multilingual hits that span continents and genres. Pink Martini’s performances evoke a musical journey that unites audiences through its unbounded rhythms and sounds. The evening promises a uniquely engaging experience, blurring the lines between concert and celebration.
Pink Martini © China Forbes
Luz Casal – February 8, 2025
Spanish singer Luz Casal’s voice carries the depth of a life lived to the fullest, with sounds that blend rock, flamenco, and an unmistakable soulfulness. Her presence exudes a kind of authenticity and emotion that creates an instant bond with the audience, drawing listeners into a world of passion and fire. Every note speaks to universal emotions, transcending language to connect on a fundamental level.
Duel Reality – February 15 & 16, 2025
With stunning acrobatics and an intense rivalry inspired by Romeo and Juliet, The 7 Fingers bring a physical narrative alive in Duel Reality. The two sides face off in thrilling feats of skill and gravity-defying spectacle, leaving the tragic love story to play out visually in a mesmerizing display. Emotions and artistry collide onstage, where spoken word falls away, and only sheer athleticism and grace remain.
Duel reality © Virgin Voyages_Einar Kling Odincrants
Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo – March 29 & 30, 2025
Here, classical ballet meets humor as this all-male troupe tackles some of ballet’s most iconic pieces with both technical brilliance and delightful satire. Men in tutus and pointe shoes pirouette through dance, parody, and the unexpected. This troupe invites viewers to experience ballet in an entirely new light—high-energy, hilarious, and unmistakably expressive.
French Theatremakers that Look Beyond Borders
Collectif 8 – La Guerre des Mondes – February 25 to March 15, 2025
For anyone who still hasn’t gotten the message: Collectif 8 is one of the best French theatre companies … if not THE best. They gave up Gallic navelgazing years ago and instead embraced highly complex international authors with extraordinary panache and creativity. And without fail, their plays at the crossroads of theatre and cinema are every season’s highlight.
After Orwell’s 1984 and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, they now round out their dystopian (or is it?) trilogy with Well’s The War of the Worlds. In one of the many sites designed to simulate life on Mars, four ‘analogue astronauts’ take part in a programme recreating the conditions of future Mars missions. The plot unfolds as the protagonists are immersed in an experience that blurs the line between reality and fiction. The screens gradually broadcast filmed information about a Martian invasion. Isolated from any other outside communication, as reports of war pour in, the astronauts will have to sort out what is real and what is not. Emotion and anxiety rise to a crescendo as the scientists confront the possibility of imminent war.
Agôn – April 22 – 26, 2025
Clément Althaus is another exceptional local talent, a musical storyteller well-known and loved from previous productions of Baudelaire, Prince des Huées and Jean de La Fontaine. This season he is back at Anthéa with his new show Agôn, a fresh and daring “musical peplum” that reinvents the ancient genre with contemporary musical flair. In an epic duel, Apollo and Dionysus fight over Hyperborea, the land of all riches. Race, wrestle, game of chance, contest of virtuosity and verbal joust – the trials and tribulations punctuate this merciless confrontation refereed by Zeus and Artemis.
Agôn © Adrian Althaus
Le Cercle des Poètes Disparus – March 10, 11, 12 & June 17
The Classic Stage Company presents a theatralized version of the 1989 cinema classic “Dead Poets’ Society”, which comes with no less than six Molière nominations. It plunges us in the stuffy world of Welton, an academy based on four pillars: honour, tradition, discipline, and excellence. As rebellious students have done for centuries, a group of them openly oppose these values. Their new literature teacher, John Keating, can relate to them. The Welton alumnus and a misfit himself, he inspires his students to embrace free-spirited poetry… and with it, their dreams. A theme that resonates with many of us.
The Annual Parade of Big Stars
As every year, Daniel Benoin invited prominent French and international actor friends to perform in Antibes, and they all willingly heeded his call. Some of them revisit dark historic themes from Europe’s not-so-distant past… not to moralize but to make one think… But there is no shortage of lighter, poetic fare.
Benoin himself steps on the stage along with Michel Boujenah in Kressman Taylor’s drama Inconnu à cette adresse (21-22 November), which has been played in theatres around the world in countless adaptations for almost 70 years.
In other excellent and topical production, Alice Taglioni addresses the themes of Holocaust remembrance in Vel d’Hiv, a deeply moving one-woman piece.
Despite its somewhat formal title, La Réunification des Deux Corées is a delightful comedy in several scenettes, inspired by Arthur Schnitzler’s Reigen and Ingmar Bergman’s Scenes From a Marriage.
No Anthéa season would be complete without Fabrice Luchini. This year the César- and Molière-crowned veteran of French theatre concocts a tasty menu of La Fontaine’s fables, garnished with some Baudelaire’s poetry and a sprinkle of Blaise Pascal’s philosophy.
Another Anthéa regular is Gad Elmaleh, who after a wildly successful stint in the USA returns to his French roots. If one can see the hilarious aspects of everyday life, it’s the undisputed king of standup comedy. Be ready for sidesplitting laughs.
And finally, the annual highlight – Daniel Benoin’s opera. This season is dedicated to Carmen. Bizet’s opera, written exactly 150 years ago, remains one of the world’s most popular and widely performed operatic works. You can be sure that under Benoin, the spirited title heroine remains as as fresh and youthful as ever and continues her fight for freedom.
And Last But Not Least: Hidden Gems
Daniel Benoin has a fine nose for rising talent, and many a fine young artist from far-flung corners of the globe has already stepped on the hallowed planks of Anthéa. This year’s crop of lesser known shows is also an ode to cultural diversity.
Yoann Bourgeois’ Maze is an intricate journey through surreal acrobatics offering a visually evocative experience.
Akram Khan’s Jungle Book Reimagined is a bold re-envisioning of Mowgli’s story through dance and physical storytelling.
The energetic drumming and powerful beats of Les Tambours du Bronx transcend verbal expression, creating an atmosphere pulsing with primal intensity.
The Twelfth Season – A Special Number, A Special Year, A Special Time
There is a reason why Anthéa has become the second most important House in France, after the Comédie Française Paris. It is this constant determination to grow, to develop, to anticipate trends and viewers’ interests, but also to keep a finger on the pulse of contemporary themes. The world is chaotic. Theaters have an important part to play. Some make a conscious decision to use art and culture as a disruptor. Others, like Anthéa, choose to bundle creative energies into something uplifting, something that unites, something that educates, and something that leaves you feeling better at the end of the show. Where will we find you?
For all details on shows, visit Anthea’s website
Ticket reservation here
260, avenue Jules Grec
06600 Antibes
Tel. +33 (0)4 83 76 13 13
All photos with kind permission from Théâtre Anthéa, copyrights as marked.
Lead image – Creator: Philip Ducap | Credit: ©philipducap-2022, Copyright: ©philipducap2022 – FineArtPhotography
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