Directoproductions’ fourth annual summer festival will leave you in tears. Tears of laughter.

Gil Marsalla is to show and events production what Pelé is to football: A master who makes it all seem easy. All year round, he and his company Directoproductions are busy developing fantastic shows and concerts that rock not only Nice but the world. And every summer for the past three years, he kicks it up yet another notch with the Les Plages du Rire festival, an explosion of humoristic shows and some of the hottest acts in French showbiz that make the canicular Azurean temperatures sizzle yet a bit more.

And like every self-respecting festival, this fourth edition of Les Plages du Rire also has an IN and an OFF. This year, the Tremplin OFF starts this four day firework of entertainment at Place Masséna on August 3 when six up-and-coming humorist talents will be facing off in a competition in front of a professional jury for the coveted spot in Laurent Barat’s show in the festival. Yes, THE Laurent Barat! We’ll come back to him in a moment.

Les Plages du Rire in Nice

The next day, August 4, we move over to the IN at the Théâtre de Verdure where Eric “Matt” Leblon, Antibes’ answer to David Copperfield and dubbed “Monsieur 100000 Volt of Magic” opens for ventriloquist Jeff Panacloc and his sidekick Jean-Marc, the narcissistic monkey. Will Jeff lose control of his cheeky acolyte? Hilarity is bound to ensue as the two engage in round after round of quickfire verbal sparring.

August 5 has a double highlight in store – first delightful Varois singer Anne Carrere, whose musical PIAF! LE SPECTACLE has brought down the house wherever in the world she and her band performed. This time she will show us a different side of her talent – her sense of humor in her one woman show “Marianne au Fil du Temps”. Then we’re invited to Yan’s – better known as Stephane Plaza, who is not only TV’s favorite real estate agent but actually a trained actor. He and a company of 8 others play the hilarious story of marital complications when his neighbor Eva, dressed in… well, not a lot…., rings his doorbell, much to her jealous husband’s chagrin.

Laurent Barat

And on August 6, it’s time for homeboy Laurent Barat to say hello to his Niçois audience. His laugh-out-loud funny one man show about his (almost adult) life and its daily curveballs has had the public in stitches ever since he first performed it. He was discovered not too long ago by none other than Noëlle Perna and has skyrocketed to fame, sharing a stage with Gad Elmaleh throughout the year… and who knows, a similar fate might happen to the winner of the Tremplin OFF competition on the first night of the festival, who will have the honour of opening for Laurent on the 6th.

Four days of tremendous fun and unbridled laughter… although, all shows are in French, so you might want to dust off your Larousse first! And here’s a bonus tip: to round out your evening of sublime entertainment, the Beau Rivage Beach just across the street from the Théâtre de Verdure offers a special “Plage du Rire” dinner during the duration of the festival, so head on over for a pre or post show bite and drink.

Beau Rivage Plage in Nice

The OFF event at Place Masséna on August 3 at 6 pm is free; for show times, additional information, reservations, and to secure special rates for all other events at the Théâtre de Verdure, head over to Directo Billet.

 

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