"Ici sont les dragons": Ariane Mnouchkine's epic fresco at La Cartoucherie

Ariane Mnouchkine and the Théâtre du Soleil create a masterly theatrical epic, tracing the turmoil of the 20th century through two eras, from 1917 to 1933

At the Cartoucherie - located in the Bois de Vincennes - the Théâtre du Soleil presents a major collective creation: "Ici sont les dragons". Directed by Ariane Mnouchkine in harmony with Hélène Cixous, this popular show is inspired by real events to explore the shadowy areas of our history, where, as on ancient maps, "the dragons are to be found". This fresco is divided into two main periods: the "First Epoch" (1917) looks back at the pivotal year when the world's destiny seemed to tip between hope of victory and revolutions. The "Second Era" (1918-1933), entitled "Shock and Lies", plunges into the inter-war period, a time of political upheaval and rising peril. True to its tradition, the troupe offers a total theatrical experience, combining epic breath, humanity and artistic rigor, to help us understand the roots of our present.