Murielle Robin, Florence Forresti, Blanche Gardin, Anne Roumanoff… Women seem well anchored on the comedy stages and in the hearts of the French. But behind these few major signatures of female humor, the genre remains largely dominated by men. How difficult it is to change the rules of the game. The Paris Humor Festival has launched its ninth edition and male artists still dominate in number on the stage of the Bobino theater in Paris. Wasted effort? While the Comedy Club charter, aimed at room directors and programmers, encourages greater parity during comedy evenings, the festival retained around ten women out of the thirty artists programmed during the two weeks of festival.
Under the leadership of producer Jean-Marc Dumontet, who notably owns six theaters in Paris, the Paris Humor Festival offers five evenings of humor, divided into three categories: stand-up, France-Algeria evening and new talents . Thirty artists, more or less experienced, host the event until May 25. Although the opening night, with Gad Elmaleh as master of ceremonies, was a great success, it frankly did not predict a festival with an equal program. Comedian Alexandra Roth was very alone during this evening among her male colleagues. With energy and sincerity, she seemed at least as much in her place as Nordin Ganso and his stories of the heart or Hakim Jemili and his strong positions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Jean-Marc Dumontet, 58 years old, is not giving up. “I am in this logic of highlighting female artists,” assures the producer of the show Paroles Citoyennes: Interruption, directed by Hannah Levin Seiderman, which deals with the subject of voluntary termination of pregnancy. If the progress still seems high, its objective is to ultimately fulfill the parity contract. “With good anticipation, it is possible. We lacked anticipation this year,” he admits, considering that the event must be sustained and better supervised. In the future, someone will be hired to manage and promote this event. Friday, the France-Algeria evening was far from full with 150 seats remaining empty in a room of 800 seats.
However, Jean-Marc Dumontet and his six performance halls have not yet signed the Comedy Club charter. By choice? “By sheer negligence,” explains the producer. I have a representative on cases of sexual violence in all my locations. I am going to sign this charter, that’s obvious.”
The efforts made to make room on stage for women are also welcomed by Jessie Varin, initiator of the Comedy Club charter. “Statistically, there are fewer women than men in comedy evenings. By scheduling 30% women, the Paris Comedy Festival is doing its part, explains the artistic director of the Nouvelle Seine dinner-show barge. Meritocracy only exists if there is equality of opportunity.”
At the time of