Valentine has run away. Lucie, a detective, a dude paid to watch her, lost between two metro stations. Not knowing where to start to trace him, she asks the help of The Hyena, a macho lesbian renowned for its instinct of the cat. The Hyena, a character bad-ass recurring in Virginie Despentes, capable of narcotrafiquer for south-american states, recruit prostitutes for high-ranking or even search for hostages in Turkistan. Together they lead the investigation from Paris to Barcelona, to find the teenager.

The followers of the universe despentien can lower their rifle. The stage adaptation of Apocalypse Baby (2010) is very faithful. With the collective belgian Mariedl, Selma Alaoui shows for almost two hours to show his in-depth knowledge of the author of King Kong Theory and Vernon Subutex . The actors recrachent word-for-word the text of the author, by following religiously the narrative.

” READ ALSO – Vernon Subutex : a first teaser unveiled by Canal+.

But, too much try to respect the work rewarded by the Renaudot literary prize, Selma Alaoui forget to offer a reading more personal for the audience to rediscover the work of a fresh look. Up to sweeten sometimes the brutality of the author. The punks of Virginie Despentes become puppets with glitter and this revelation explodes into a fever friendly and rock’n’roll. Proof of that is the soundtrack of electro-pop, pervasive and catchy, which goes so far as to cite the very raw I want you to b**** of Odezenne. Humor, ever present (we laugh a lot through the charismatic Achille Ridolfi, flawless), occult a bit of the atmosphere of doom and gloom orgies underground .

A road-trip of all the excess Eline Schumacher, provocative Valentine. Lou Hérion

a Pity that the rhythm is sometimes troubled by an uneven distribution. These are the young people who pull their pin of the game, with a very good and provocative Valentine (Eline Schumacher), and Aymeric Trionfo, perfect in the roles of metal facho and smoking joints anti-globalization, passively revolutionary. The other leading performers, without being ill, did not provide the spark that spring from their character.

The actress Eline Schumacher, best hope of the female Critic’s Prize in 2015, in Belgium, embodies the teenage girl from fifteen years ago, in instilling the vulgarity and nihilism that characterizes it. In mini-shorts and a t-shirt without a bra, she dominates the scene with its hipped sex and its aftershocks that tremble in the ear of the spectators. She is the face of a form of decadence of modern society, while being a small-scale the consequence of a family-centered and apathetic to the excess.

in Addition to the psychology of the characters, the other major challenge was to adapt a road-trip on stage. Bet won. The scenography, flexible, generous, transforms a desktop into a dance floor or in a beach of barcelona. A car makes its appearance. The imagination of the viewer is extended by video projections as we often see today in the theatre. Effects of smoke, of light, of movement, of vitality!

The DNA of Despentes is there, punk, trash, colorful. Everything is dark but dazzled. On this point, the exercise in style is successful. But it’s not enough. The theatre cannot be limited to a space of representation of the literature, it must bring a new depth. Remains that the show inspires. It is the war and the feast at the same time. This is the apocalypse, baby!

● “Apocalypse Baby” at the Théâtre Paris-Villette, 211 Avenue Jean Jaurès (Paris, XIXe)
Until the 28th of march, from Tuesday to Saturday at 20h, on Sunday at 15h30. Duration: 1 hour and 50 minutes.