Heat wave on the program of the Avignon festival. The regulars have provided hats, sunscreen and sneakers for their marathon. With 1200 shows in the off, “only” forty in the in, Jean Vilar would not be unhappy to reach the greatest number.

“Have you seen Ma Séraphine?” a regular asks another traveler who has just arrived by train in the city of the Popes. Indeed, Marie-Bénédicte Roy under the apron of the servant, Séraphine Louis renamed Séraphine de Senlis is bluffing with truth. She scrubs the floor and serves her masters, bourgeois who have nothing to do with her talent as a painter. One day, the collector, art critic and German dealer, Wilhelm Uhde (Laurent Charpentier) notices his paintings representing flowers. He has already spotted Picasso, Braque and the Douanier Rousseau. Seduced by the naivety and beauty of the works, he convinces Séraphine to sell them. This one needs the authorization of the Virgin Mary and wants to have money to get married. Patrice Trigano is the author of the text (Éditions Maurice Nadeau) and Josiane Pinson directs it.

» My Séraphine, at the Espace Roseau Teinturiers.

We swallow a liter of water before beating the rhythm against Punk.e.s or How we did not become famous, according to a booklet by Rachel Arditi and Justine Heynemann (Think of sweetness). At La Scala Provence, the two authors relate “freely” the story of the Slits, the first London female punk group to have obtained control of its image from their record company. Aged 14 to 20, Viv Albertine, Ari Up, Palmolive and Tessa Pollit joined forces in 1976. Considered the sisters of the Sex Pistols, these four strongheads will have to get to know each other before working together. Rachel Arditi, Charlotte Avias, Salomé Dienis Meulien, Camille Timmerman, Kim Verschueren struggle on set in the direction of Justine Heynemann and arrangements by Julien Carton. It moves on the set of those who proclaim their revolts, dream of having their name at the top of the bill and of imposing themselves in a macho environment. The girls get their revenge, James Borniche is the only male actor.

» Punk.e.s or How we did not become famous, at La Scala.

We go out chanting Typical Girls to reach another theatre, skimming the old stone walls to stay in the shade. The morning mistral has taken a break. Fortunately, the BA Théâtre d’Avignon is air-conditioned and the seats are comfortable. Word of mouth has done its job, there is no more room to discover Le mardi à Monoprix, the play by Emmanuel Darley. “You’re still acting like a good wife!” protested Marie-Pierre’s father. The old man regrets the time when with his son he had the occupations of normal men. This one was called Jean-Pierre. But dressed in a dress (signed Jean-Paul Gaultier), perched on heels, “now as it is”, Marie-Pierre assumes herself and pushes the shopping cart to do her shopping. Modest and generous, guided with benevolence by the collective Ah le zèbre, the actor opens up without pretense. His performance hugs hearts.

On Tuesdays at Monoprix, at the BA theater in Avignon and from September 1 to 30 at Les Déchargeurs, in Paris.

At the La Luna theatre, this time it’s an uppercut that brings us to tears. Gaël Leiblang embodies the title hero of Tu seras un homme papa, under the direction of Thibault Amorfini. Her son was born prematurely with Charge Syndrome. While restrained, while running or boxing, the former sports journalist recounts the thirteen days of life of his son Roman. An ordeal, but he never falls into pathos when he evokes the intolerable pain, his wife and his daughters. A spectacle in the form of resilience.

“You will be a daddy man, at the La Luna theatre.

Change of register at the Théâtre du Chêne noir, where we applaud Hugo Becker and Pierre Rochefort in Les Variations énigmatiques by Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt edited by Paul-Émile Fourny (Éditions Albin Michel). A journalist comes to interview a famous writer who lives recluse on an island about his latest book. The most beautiful according to critics. Over the dialogues and glasses of alcohol swallowed like lemonade, the masks fall, the characters are revealed, there is a great absentee. The play is rich in twists and turns. In the mythical room, we have completely forgotten that it is very hot outside.

» The Enigmatic Variations, at the Théâtre du Chêne Noir.