In Extinction, the simmering artistic and intellectual life in Vienna at the beginning of the 20th century forms the starting point for a literal transformation of the ‘merry apocalypse’, to quote the expression coined by Hermann Broch to refer to the European period of carefree abandon that preceded the war. And, indeed, it is the apocalypse, the radical destruction of Western art and civilisation, that Julien Gosselin imagines here.
The French director is renowned for his visually stunning adaptations of great novels (Houellebecq’s Elementary Particles and Roberto Bolaño’s 2666). And this collaboration with the Volksbühne is his first production in Vienna. Based on Arthur Schnitzler’s plays and novellas, Extinction contrasts the nobility of the Viennese elite, its striving for beauty and ideals, with the sheer brutality of drive and death. With its mix of concert, live-video and radical spoken theatre, the piece illuminates nihilism and destruction, where it searches for the traces of a buried revolt and the possibility of reinventing the project of modernity.
Text Thomas Bernhard, Arthur Schnitzler Adaptation, Direction Julien Gosselin With Guillaume Bachelé, Joseph Drouet, Denis Eyriey, Carine Goron, Zarah Kofler, Rosa Lembeck, Victoria Quesnel, Marie Rosa Tietjen, Maxence Vandevelde, Max von Mechow Stage desgin Lisetta Buccellato Dramaturgy Eddy d’Aranjo, Johanna Höhmann Music Guillaume Bachelé, Maxence Vandevelde Light design Nicolas Joubert Video Jérémie Bernaert, Pierre Martin Oriol Sound design Julien Feryn Translation Francesca Spinazzi (Panthea) Costumes Caroline Tavernier Camera Jérémie Bernaert, Baudouin Rencurel Assistant director Sarah Cohen, Max Pross Props Lisetta Buccellato, David Ferré, Antoine Hespel, Yvonne Schulz, Carlotta Schuhmann Costume assistance Marjolaine Mansot Light technician Zélie Champeau, Manon Meyer Sound technician Manon Poirier Video director David Dubost, Philippe Suss Surtitles Video Anne Pernas Video script Elsa Revcolevschi Stage management Simon Haratyk, Guillaume Lepert 3D animation Caroline Mansouri Video calibration Laurent Ripoll Management, Production, Diffusion Eugénie Tesson Tour management, cultural activities Marion Le Strat Administration Olivier Poujol Technical direction Nicolas Ahssaine Set construction Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, Ateliers Devineau Technical direction interns Marine Banal, Alix Capossela
Production Si vous pouviez lécher mon coeur, Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz (Berlin) Coproduction Wiener Festwochen, Le Phénix scène nationale Valenciennes, Printemps des comédiens (Montpellier), Festival d’Automne à Paris, Le Manège - Scène Nationale de Maubeuge, DE SINGEL (Antwerp) Supported by Ministère de la Culture (France) With artistic participation of Jeune Théâtre National (Paris) With support of Channel de Calais, Odéon-Théâtre de l’Europe, Ecole supérieure d’art dramatique du Théâtre National de Strasbourg
Thanks to all departments of Si vous pouviez lécher mon coeur und Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz
Julien Gosselin and Si vous pouviez lécher mon coeur are Artistes associés of Pôle européen de création, Le Phénix scène nationale Valenciennes and Théâtre Nanterre-Amandiers. Julien Gosselin is Associated Artist at Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz.
Si vous pouviez lécher mon coeur is funded by Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication - DRAC Hauts-de-France and Région Hauts-de-France.
Premiere June 2023, Printemps des Comédiens Montpellier
