Acting in theater is like traveling by plane for me. You prepare your journey, plan the coming days precisely, and still leave room for improvisation. Yet there comes the moment when the plane door closes and you know there is no turning back.
My breathing quickens and beads of nervous sweat form on my forehead, knowing that I will soon be moving at unnatural heights, completely at the mercy of the situation. And before every takeoff, I ask myself: What am I actually doing here?
Just like flying, the moment before the curtain rises is the hardest, until the cabin door closes and there is no way back. But on stage, you are not at the mercy of the elements. As soon as I step into the spotlight and the coward in me is tamed because I have to function now, my transformation into a ham begins, and anything is possible.
Initially, I acted in a group called Pres Vert. The "Histoires sans paroles" (Stories Without Words) suited me well in my early years in France, as my language skills were rather rudimentary. I played an alien with a pillow in my backside, a film director, a circus director, or a rogue who impregnated a poor girl and then disappeared.
A few years ago, I was asked if I could, as part of a reenacted ceremony for the sealing of a town partnership, belt out the German national anthem alone from the balcony of the local town hall for a street theater performance in Puiseaux. Since then, "Il était une fois Puiseaux" (Once Upon a Time in Puiseaux) has become a fixed part of my pre-Christmas season.
For the performances, part of the town center around the church, including an old school, the town hall, and the church itself, becomes the stage, where short episodes from the town's history are reenacted with a wink. The municipality commissioned the theater group "Le Théâtre des Minuits" to organize the performances. The costs are covered by the municipality of Puiseaux, together with the region and the EU. The individual pieces are performed in a 2½-hour loop until the church bells signal the end.
A press release reported that the annual number of visitors is estimated at 5,000. I think this number is embellished and is probably only mentioned to secure the necessary subsidies. In a conversation with me, the former mayor estimated the number of visitors at 2-3,000, which sounds more realistic. With a population of 3,400, the stream of spectators remains impressive.
Among other roles, I have played François Ier, a Belgian refugee during World War I (here I had to sing the Belgian anthem), and a Russian Cossack. My fondest memory, however, is a small role for which I didn't have to learn any lines. I mimed a bodyguard who kept crazy fans away from the VIPs. After the last big COVID wave, it was a treat for body and soul to catch screaming fans for two hours and just let myself go. Thank you for that experience.
This year's theme, as it should be in the run-up to the Olympic Games, is "Sports in Puiseaux," and it will take place on December 16th from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM. Again, around 100 amateur actors are expected to share the spotlight with professional artists. A beautiful concept and one worth emulating for German municipalities.
I have uploaded some pictures from the last performances to my server. (Click)
