How far

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how far
CREATION 2024

How far travels between several languages, several countries, and works on the superimposition of landscapes and eras.

Suzanne is driving an old Peugeot estate car on the A3 motorway in Seine-Saint-Denis. She stops to check the tyre pressure, the garage is deserted and closed for demolition. A man appears, guarding the place. Images emerge without warning. Suzanne leaves, drives away and returns. Amadi is not always a guard in the Parisian suburbs, he is a young Nigerian filmmaker who has come to explore the archives of Jacques Foccart, De Gaulle's advisor on African affairs, for his documentary on Biafra. As the days go by, they search, accompany each other and invent a little protocol for visiting each other's past. In this outlying building site, landscapes overlap, memories and temporalities flow along a puddle of diesel oil with strange powers that spread over the station. The personal stories of Suzanne and Amadi are interwoven with the broader narrative that links France and Africa - the official as well as the secret history. 

PROCESSUS SPÉCIFIQUE DE CRÉATION
In 2020, I was amazed to discover Laure Bachelier-Mazon's play How farwhich deals with the relationship between France and Nigeria, through a fictional interweaving of history. That same year, I met Kouam Tawa and Hakim Bah; both were quick to say that this play should be produced on the African continent, in Guinea and Cameroon. In 2022, thanks to IETM, I met Jerry Adesewo, who made it possible for the show to be staged in Nigeria.

So, we invented a way of producing and creating this text, by going out and meeting new performers, recreating a fresh team for each production in a different country. At each stage, Laure Bachelier-Mazon rewrote and adapted the text, thinking about how it would be received in communication with the performers. The text has changed because of meetings and discussions, the stage form has been reinvented each time in connection with the performance venue, and the cast has been revised. The scenographic principles created in Guinea were then transported and adapted to each country. The show was performed outdoors in West Africa and adapted for indoors in France. We also thought about the movement of the performers in conjunction with our companies: Brigitte Tsafack, from the Cameroonian company Feugham, created both the Cameroonian and French versions of the show. The sound composition was also adapted to each venue - the singing was a capella outdoors, broadcast indoors, and was also reconsidered at each meeting.
Anne Monfort

The first performance took place in Guinea in October 2023, at the Univers des mots festival, bringing together Camara Bountouraby, Malê Swe Camara, Sira Condé, Mohamed Diané, Pearl Manifold and Marion Sicrewith stage design by Djamounougbè Beavogui and Mohamed Diané and lighting by Iry Armand Bogbé.

Creation in Guinea © La Muse

The French production featured Heza Botto, Pearl Manifold, Marion Sicre and Brigitte Tsafack, with sound compositions byEve Ganot, Colline Ménard and Roque Rivaslighting by Cécile Robin and Boris Van Overtveldt, and costumes by Marine Gressier.

Creation in France © Christophe Raynaud de Lage

In Cameroon, we united the day-for-night team and the Feugham company, and the production brought together Denise Djuikom, Alice Domche, Roscar  Koudja Abraham Neri Kwemy, Mireille Leoue, Pearl Manifold, Marion Sicre, Brigitte Tsafack.

Creation in Cameroon © day-for-night

In November 2024, an English-language version was created in Nigeria, with Heza Botto, Pearl Manifold, Marion Sicre, Francis Agaba Chunounnonso, Bianchi Ndidi Anosning,Oko Owi Ocho Afrika.

Creation in Nigeria © Institut français du Nigéria

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We would also like to thank all the people who took part in this venture, on an ad hoc basis or over a longer period: Leonce Henri Nlend, Léa Masson, Alexandre Prince, May Hilaire.

The partners in this project have been invaluable, and I would like to thank them all: the GRRRANIT – Scène nationale de Belfort, the Centre dramatique national de Besançon, the Colombier – Bagnolet, French Institute, the CITF, the festival Univers des mots, thecompagnie Feugham, the Arojah Royal Theatre, the ABITFA festival, the French Institute of Nigeria and day-for-night team, Yohan Rantswiler, Gabrielle Baille and Florence Francisco - the Productions de la Seine, and Olivier Saksik - Elektronlibre.

PRODUCTION
Production day-for-night
Partners Compagnie Feugham and the La’akam (Bafoussam, Cameroun), festival Univers des mots (Conakry, Guinée), Arojah Royal Theatre (Abuja, Nigeria)
Coproduction GRRRANIT Scène nationale of Belfort, Centre dramatique national Besançon Franche-Comté 
With the support of le 
Colombier –  Bagnolet, Théâtre Public de Montreuil – Centre dramatique national, résidence de création au Grand Parquet, maison d’artistes du Théâtre Paris-Villette, Institut français de Paris, CITF

Thanks to Morgane Barbry, Iry Armand Bogbé, Bountouraby Camara, Sira Conde, Malê Swê Camara, Mohamed Diané, Alexandre Prince

day-for-night is subsidised by the DRAC Bourgogne Franche-Comté and by the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region. The company is supported in its projects by the Departmental Council of Doubs and the City of Besançon. The company have a DGCA mentoring network with Louise Legendre and May Hilaire.

Creation in France © Christophe Raynaud de Lage

CAST 
Direction Anne Monfort
Texte & collaboration artistique Laure Bachelier-Mazon
With Pearl Manifold (actress) Marion Sicre (lyric singer) Brigitte Tsafack (actress) Heza Botto (comédien)
Composer Roque Rivas 
Composer and sound designer Eve Ganot, en collaboration avec Colline Ménard
Traduction en anglais et regard extérieur May Hilaire
Light design and technical management Cécile Robin
Régie lumières Boris Van Overtveldt
Set design Djamounougbè Beavogui, Mohamed Diané
Set construction France Loïc Bernardo, Adèle Collé 
Costume design France Marine Gressier
Administration and production Yohan Rantswiler
Production and booking Florence Francisco and Gabrielle Baille – Les Productions de la Seine
Press relations Olivier Saksik – Elektronlibre

PERFORMANCE DATES
November 2024 | Creation in Nigeria
Arojah Royal Theatre, Abuja (Nigéria)
Du 21 au 28 février 2024 | Création Cameroun 
Le La’akam, Baffoussam (Cameroun)
From 13th to 15th February 2024 
Centre dramatique national de Besançon Franche-Comté
From 6th to 10th February 2024
Le Colombier – Bagnolet
12th January 2024 | Creation in France
Le GRRRANIT, Scène nationale Belfort
31st October and 1st November 2023 | Creation in Guinea
Festival Univers des mots, Conakry (Guinea)

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