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Théâtre National Wallonie-Bruxelles

La Dernière nuit du monde

The Last Night of the World
Laurent Gaudé, Fabrice Murgia

10 > 14.05.2022
Theatre

Everything is still sleeping, and soon never again.

Imagine a world without night. A world where mankind, aided by science, puts an end to its physiological need for sleep. A pill would allow a person to sleep for only 45 minutes without the effect of fatigue. In the “era of the fragmented night” – where everyone chooses when they want to sleep – the stars no longer cradle any dreams, or any silence. Active, furious, relentless life runs through the veins of a joyful and all-powerful humanity. A fantasy for some, a nightmare for others, La Dernière nuit du monde tackles a theme which is scarely taboo. A 24-hour planet under the fallacious pretext that day is overflowing and that it is therefore time for humans to inhabit time differently. 

In this new work with accents of anticipation, Laurent Gaudé and Fabrice Murgia find fertile ground for collaboration. The opera Daral Shaga brought them together in 2014 alongside Cie Feria Musica. The two had planned to work together again one day. Jonathan Crary’s 24/7, Le Capitalisme à l’assaut du sommeil gave them that opportunity.

There is no light that needs no shade. 

To evoke this terrible fate of a world without rest, Laurent Gaudé imagines a young couple: Gabor (Fabrice Murgia) and Lou (Nancy Nkusi). He throws himself body and soul into the realisation of this sinister pill. She tries to reason with him, to sensitise him – but in vain. The last night comes, for humanity but also for the couple. Lou disappears. An investigation gets underway that is ultimately troubled by lack of sleep and the interests of unbridled capitalism.

Calendar

  • - 20:00
  • - 19:30
  • - 20:00
  • - 20:00
  • - 20:00

Information

Language

FR surtitrage EN, NL

Venue

Grande Salle

Duration

80'

Cast

Texts
Laurent Gaudé

Direction & performance
Fabrice Murgia

Performance
Nancy Nkusi
or Nadine Baboy

Scenography
Vincent Lemaire

Assistant director
Véronique Leroy

Acting direction, Outside view
Vincent Hennebicq

Video design & camera
Giacinto Caponio

Light design
Emily Brassier

Costumes
Marie-Hélène Balau

Sound design
Brecht Beuselinck

Sound operator
Célia Naver

Video design assistant & Video Editing
Dimitri Petrovic

General manager & stage manager
Marc Defrise

Video cast
Per Henrik Bals
Natacha Belova
Takakehto Charles
Vanessa Compagnucci
François De Brigode
Mieke De Grote
Josse De Pauw
Maxime Graff
Fatou Hane
Inès Hick
Nicolas Hick
Teresita Iacobelli
Maryam Kamyab
Hadja Labhib
Valérie Leclercq
Dimitri Petrovic
Dorcy Rugamba
Daphné Seale
Aigin Simma
Åsa Simma
Olya Tsoraeva
Jos Verbist

Création Studio Théâtre National Wallonie-Bruxelles

Touring
Frans Brood Productions 
« La Dernière nuit du monde » de Laurent Gaudé est publié aux éditions Actes Sud Papiers.

Production
Cie ARTARA

Coproduction
Théâtre National Wallonie-Bruxelles, le Théâtre de Namur, Mars - Mons arts de la scène, le Théâtre de Liège, Central-La Louvière, Théâtres en Dracénie-Draguignan, Théâtre L’Aire Libre-Rennes, la Scène nationale d’Albi, le CDN de Madrid, le Riksteatern-The National Touring Theatre of Sweden.

With the support of
Shelterprod, taxshelter.be, ING et du tax-shelter du gouvernement fédéral belge.

© Gloria Scorier