The 2011 edition of the Manifeste is over now, but the programme is still on-line, as one never gets tired of it.
The 2012 workshops will take place from July 6 to 16, with the spectators meeting the artists and participants on July 13, 14 and 15.


EDITO 2011
As previously announced, the Manifeste is catching and the wave is spreading.
For its 8th edition -who said people were no longer interested in the theatre- our international meeting for political theatre is spreading along the coast and inland. This year, the Manifeste will put down more roots, not only in Grande-Synthe, but also in Saint-Omer and Saint-Martin Boulogne, thus developing its brand new concept of holidays :
short-distance intellectual leisure activities
that shake neurones as well as sensitivities.
This year our artistic offers sweep across the history of theatre and explore such varied aesthetics as Agit-prop (Compagnie La Vache Bleue), Tanztheater (Quai des Valses), Puppetry (Stuffed Puppet Theatre), writing on the set (Hala Ghosn), Sensory Theatre (Enrique Vargas) and filmed stage production (Jean-Charles Massera).

Just a reminder of the basic principle - The Manifeste is made up of two phases :

First
10 days of artistic practice equally distributed on the three sites:
Comédie de l’Aa in Saint-Omer, Centre Culturel Georges Brassens in Saint-Martin Boulogne and Palais du Littoral in Grande-Synthe – 10 days during which 6 national and international artistic teams will be invited to create with the inhabitants of the 3 areas “political theatre items” to stage and explore the shadows and lights of our society.

Then
the teams will meet the public for 3 days – 8, 9 and 10 July - at Palais du Littoral in Grande-Synthe, where there will be a succession of feedback from the different workshops, and shows of the directors invited along with debates.

At a time when the debate is still open whether culture is for each individual or for all, for oneself or for others,
at a time when the long summer vacation of the public theatre makes those for whom going to Avignon is beyond their wildest dreams very thirsty indeed,
the Manifeste is showering the coastal area of Northern France with merry yet demanding offers and remains in this area the ideal place for summer discoveries, bedazzlement and exchanges.

Brigitte Mounier
Compagnie des Mers du Nord