How does music connect to History? Over time, how exactly does it channel the memory of salient events? How do politicians use music to stage their entrances, their speeches? How can music make us submit to authority? 


In 2020, Émilie Rousset received a commission to create a work based on a hymn. In the middle of the Covid pandemic this choice offered the potential for coming together using the power of music. Émilie decided she would use Beethoven’s famous Ode to Joy. As director/creator, she began her research, veering between hope and disillusion, attempting to understand the connections between music and politics. She amassed a series of media images, specialist interviews, and even bits of her own life – and her playful approach to these archives led her to create a unique, off the wall theatre work.

With the support of the actors Anne Steffens and Manuel Vallade, Playlist Polirique shows us a journey through time which explores the offstage shenanigans of History, confronting and challenging our ideals.

Designed, written and staged by Émilie Rousset
Featuring Anne Steffens, Manuel Vallade
Video, Gabrielle Stemmer 
Dramaturgy, Simon Hatab
Writing collaboration, Sarah Maeght
Lights system, Manon Lauriol
Video and sound manager, Romain Vuillet 
General manager, Jérémie Sananes
Light management Clarisse Bernez-Cambot Labarta alternating with Manon Lauriol and Lucien Prunenec
Trainee stage director, Elina Martinez

With the choirmaster Julie Furton and the participation of amateur singers from the Queerale : Lucie Broussin, Xavier Cartiaux, Jasmin Cichocki, Alex Cloos, Roxane Darlot-Harel, Marianne Garaicoechea, Maurane Guillemoto, Sophie Hebrard, Nicolas Hug, Jeanne Jeannot, Vic Krass, Oualid Latreche, Sarah Maeght, Ayefemi Mehou-Loko, Hugo Poindron, Sable Prost, Jonathan Rocheteau, Sylvère Santin, Charlie Trévu, Johan Tyszler, Anaïs Van Den Bussche, Vincent Vanel, Manon Vaux.
Administration, production, Les Indépendances, Colin Pitrat and Hélène Moulin

Thanks, Esteban Buch, Thibault Jeandemange, Solveig Serre

Interview

Esteban Buch, Simon Hatab, Emilie Rousset, june 2022

Archival texts, musics 

Roselyne Bachelot, “Chronique”, France Musique, may 2017
Ludwig van Beethoven, “n°9 op 125 Symphony”, Minnesota Orchestra, direction Osmo Vänskä, 2006
Ludwig van Beethoven, “Ode to Joy”, extract of the n°9 op 125 Symphony, arrangement Herbert von Karajan, Berliner Philharmoniker, direction Herbert von Karajan, 1972
Marc van Dessel, « Les Roses du Panthéon », documentary broadcast on the show Bouillon de culture, may 1991
Christian Dupavillon, « Comment j'ai mis en scène l'investiture de François Mitterrand », article published in Le Monde, may 2011
Nina Hagen, “Du hast den Farbfilm vergessen”, lyrics Kurt Demmler, music Michael Heubach, 1974
Stevie Wonder, “Pastime Paradise”, 1976, arrangement Sylvère Santin, 2022

Domestic archives

Jean Quéau-Rousset and Sarah Maeght, may 2022
Alexia Viol, june 2022

Produced by John Corporation 
Co-produced by Points communs, Nouvelle scène nationale de Cergy-Pontoise et du Val d’Oise, Festival d’Automne à Paris, La Pop, NEXT Festival, Théâtre de la Bastille
Residence at le Centre national de la danse (Paris)

Residency hosted by Points communs, Nouvelle scène nationale de Cergy-Pontoise / Val d’Oise; Le lieu unique (Nantes); Le Volcan, Scène nationale du Havre

John Corporation is subsided by the Ministry of Culture – Drac Île-de-France and the Région Île-de-France

Premiere on November the 17th of 2022 at la Péniche Pop as part of the Festival d’Automne à Paris
 
Photographies
© Philippe Lebruman