Smile: the black-and-white play inspired by Charlie Chaplin at Théâtre de l'Œuvre

Are you nostalgic for black-and-white films? Then Smile is for you! Nicolas Nebot and Dan Menasche 's all-black-and-white play, inspired by Charlie Chaplin, returns to Théâtre de l'Œuvre from March 25 to 30, 2025! Smile takes us back to 1910 in a London bar. Charlie has an appointment with a young woman to whom he intends to declare his love, and this moment could well turn his life upside down...

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Nicolas Nebot and Dan Menasche wanted to plunge us into the world of the famous actor. How did they do it? With a risky gamble, they wrote, and Nicolas Nebot directed, an all-black-and-white play! But the playwrights didn't stop there. To immerse the spectator as fully as possible in the world of Charlie Chaplin, the writing duo use staging devices in their play Smile, such as slow motion, speeding up, flashbacks and changes of point of view, all of which can be found in Chaplin 's cinema.

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Fans of Plus Belle la Vie are in for a treat, as Smile features two stars of the hit series: Pauline Bression, who also alternates in Alexis Michalik's playUne Histoire d'Amour, and Grant Lawrens, who alternates with Alexandre Faitrouni. One of the authors, Dan Menasche, can also be seen in black and white on the Théâtre de l'Atelier stage, playing the role of the bartender.

• To be read
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Smile was nominated for the Molières 2023 in two categories, and the black-and-white play has been a great success for two seasons now, first at the Nouvelle Eve, then at the Théâtre de l'Œuvre and now at the Théâtre de l'Atelier. This innovative play, inspired by Charlie Chaplin, is a refreshing change from the usual theatrical fare.

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