In 2021, the hashtag #MeTooThéâtre took French social media by storm, unveiling thousands of stories of sexual abuse and harassment within the nation’s theaters and drama schools. What began as an online movement quickly evolved into a collective demanding systemic change, including a high-profile open letter signed by 1,450 public figures in Libération. Over the past three years, the collective has published essays, held demonstrations, and maintained a striking Instagram presence with sharp, provocative posts.
Now, its five most active members have brought their activism to the stage with “Les Histrioniques” (“The Histrionic Ones”), playing at the Théâtre de Belleville in Paris through January 28. This debut production blends wit, theatrical craft, and raw emotion to reveal the personal toll and the unyielding resolve of their movement.
A Fictional Space for Real Stories
Creating a stage production about a real-time social movement is no small feat, especially in France, where defamation lawsuits loom large. “Les Histrioniques” opens with a playful nod to this risk. The performers, donning sunglasses, line up on the small stage. “We created a fictional space so that you and we are safe,” one of them quips, with a touch of irony. As they remove their sunglasses to cheers from the audience, the performers step forward as both activists and individuals, bridging the gap between public and personal.
Through recurring scenes, the cast re-enacts their private exchanges from 2021, when the hashtag first went viral. Facing the audience like a modern-day Greek chorus, they recount their lives at the time: teaching, rehearsing, or caring for a baby. These moments strip away the media’s portrayal of the collective as an “angry mob,” presenting instead five women with complex lives and varied motivations.
The Faces Behind the Hashtag
The cast includes Marie Coquille-Chambel, the theater researcher who initiated the hashtag on Twitter after surviving domestic violence by her ex-partner, a member of the Comédie-Française troupe (he was convicted in 2021). Joining her are actors, playwrights, and directors Louise Brzezowska-Dudek, Nadège Cathelineau, Séphora Haymann, and Julie Ménard, all of whom share direct experiences with gender inequality in the arts.
Their collective voice is amplified by their theatrical craft. In one scene, they re-enact a guru-like conservatory professor’s class; in another, they portray a stage director accused of rape and a theater administrator complicit in covering it up. These characters are fictional but unmistakably inspired by real cases.
Cathelineau, in particular, delivers a standout performance as the accused director, blending comic timing with biting satire. She also leads the group in a rap inspired by the hashtag #ExposeYourPig, chanting, “We expose pigs, you fatten them up,” to a feverish crescendo.
Balancing Anger with Humanity
While moments of anger and disgust punctuate the production, the cast deftly balances them with vulnerability and humor. Coquille-Chambel speaks with quiet dignity about the online hate, rape, and death threats she has endured. Brzezowska-Dudek brings levity as a chain-smoking administrator who feigns allyship while protecting male colleagues. Haymann delivers some of the play’s most poignant moments, reflecting on her experiences as the daughter of immigrants and her disillusionment with France’s justice system.
The play also delves into the unseen burdens of activism: the unpaid labor, the emotional exhaustion, and the constant backlog of victims seeking help. Ménard recalls a moment when she nearly gave up, heeding warnings from friends and family to step back. Yet the urgency of their mission is undeniable, as new accusations — including recent allegations against actor Philippe Caubère — continue to surface.
A Reckoning on Stage
“Les Histrioniques” is more than a theatrical retelling of #MeTooThéâtre’s journey; it’s a call to action. Through their performances, these women shine a light on the immense courage and relentless effort required to bring stories of abuse to the forefront. In doing so, they remind us that the fight for justice in the arts — and beyond — is far from over.
With humor, heartbreak, and unflinching honesty, “Les Histrioniques” transforms activism into art, giving voice to the silenced and hope to the future.Subtitle: A Bold Stage Production Captures the Personal Costs and Triumphs of Activism in French Theater
In 2021, the hashtag #MeTooThéâtre took French social media by storm, unveiling thousands of stories of sexual abuse and harassment within the nation’s theaters and drama schools. What began as an online movement quickly evolved into a collective demanding systemic change, including a high-profile open letter signed by 1,450 public figures in Libération. Over the past three years, the collective has published essays, held demonstrations, and maintained a striking Instagram presence with sharp, provocative posts.
Now, its five most active members have brought their activism to the stage with “Les Histrioniques” (“The Histrionic Ones”), playing at the Théâtre de Belleville in Paris through January 28. This debut production blends wit, theatrical craft, and raw emotion to reveal the personal toll and the unyielding resolve of their movement.
A Fictional Space for Real Stories
Creating a stage production about a real-time social movement is no small feat, especially in France, where defamation lawsuits loom large. “Les Histrioniques” opens with a playful nod to this risk. The performers, donning sunglasses, line up on the small stage. “We created a fictional space so that you and we are safe,” one of them quips, with a touch of irony. As they remove their sunglasses to cheers from the audience, the performers step forward as both activists and individuals, bridging the gap between public and personal.
Through recurring scenes, the cast re-enacts their private exchanges from 2021, when the hashtag first went viral. Facing the audience like a modern-day Greek chorus, they recount their lives at the time: teaching, rehearsing, or caring for a baby. These moments strip away the media’s portrayal of the collective as an “angry mob,” presenting instead five women with complex lives and varied motivations.
The Faces Behind the Hashtag
The cast includes Marie Coquille-Chambel, the theater researcher who initiated the hashtag on Twitter after surviving domestic violence by her ex-partner, a member of the Comédie-Française troupe (he was convicted in 2021). Joining her are actors, playwrights, and directors Louise Brzezowska-Dudek, Nadège Cathelineau, Séphora Haymann, and Julie Ménard, all of whom share direct experiences with gender inequality in the arts.
Their collective voice is amplified by their theatrical craft. In one scene, they re-enact a guru-like conservatory professor’s class; in another, they portray a stage director accused of rape and a theater administrator complicit in covering it up. These characters are fictional but unmistakably inspired by real cases.
Cathelineau, in particular, delivers a standout performance as the accused director, blending comic timing with biting satire. She also leads the group in a rap inspired by the hashtag #ExposeYourPig, chanting, “We expose pigs, you fatten them up,” to a feverish crescendo.
Balancing Anger with Humanity
While moments of anger and disgust punctuate the production, the cast deftly balances them with vulnerability and humor. Coquille-Chambel speaks with quiet dignity about the online hate, rape, and death threats she has endured. Brzezowska-Dudek brings levity as a chain-smoking administrator who feigns allyship while protecting male colleagues. Haymann delivers some of the play’s most poignant moments, reflecting on her experiences as the daughter of immigrants and her disillusionment with France’s justice system.
The play also delves into the unseen burdens of activism: the unpaid labor, the emotional exhaustion, and the constant backlog of victims seeking help. Ménard recalls a moment when she nearly gave up, heeding warnings from friends and family to step back. Yet the urgency of their mission is undeniable, as new accusations — including recent allegations against actor Philippe Caubère — continue to surface.
A Reckoning on Stage
“Les Histrioniques” is more than a theatrical retelling of #MeTooThéâtre’s journey; it’s a call to action. Through their performances, these women shine a light on the immense courage and relentless effort required to bring stories of abuse to the forefront. In doing so, they remind us that the fight for justice in the arts — and beyond — is far from over.
With humor, heartbreak, and unflinching honesty, “Les Histrioniques” transforms activism into art, giving voice to the silenced and hope to the future.