Molières award ceremony cancelled, French theatres to reopen on 19 May
France Télévisions has confirmed that the 33rd Molières award ceremony, the most prestigious prize for theatre in France, will not take place this year, due to the Covid-19 health crisis. The TV group announced plans to broadcast plays over five evenings, from 31 May to 4 June, as a celebration of theatre.
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"We have to give up the Molières ceremony this year," announced Michel Field, director of culture and live shows for the public group, in a press release. He confirmed that the Molières would return in 2022 – when the 400th anniversary of the French playwright's birth will be celebrated.
This is a scenario that its organiser, Jean-Marc Dumontet, had hoped to avoid, but which was confirmed on Tuesday.
France TV's five evenings dedicated to theatre will begin on France 3 with 7 ans de réflexion at the Bouffes Parisiens theatre on 31 May.
France 2 will follow on 1 June with Papy fait de la résistance, written by Martin Lamotte and Christian Clavier, and on 2 June the France.tv platform will offer Les Chatouilles ou la danse de la colère by Andréa Bescond and Eric Métayer.
Two evenings dedicated to plays by the Comédie-Française are also planned: Romeo and Juliet and Le Petit-Maître corrigé on 3 June on the short-lived channel Culturebox, and Fables and Fanny and Alexandre on 4 June (France 5).
Read: French culture minister confident of 'responsible' mid-May reopening
Theatres have been closed in France since the end of October, but will be able to reopen on 19 May with one in three seats available, and a maximum of 800 people per theatre.
The capacity will increased to 65 percent from 9 June with an 11pm curfew, allowing evening sessions. The constraints will be lifted on 1 July.
(with AFP)
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