The Prize: Otto Hahn and Lise Meitner face off in a gripping historical confrontation

Do you know the story of chemists and physicists Otto Hahn and Lise Meitner? Cyril Gély's play Le Prix will tell you a little more. The play, featuring a historical dialogue between the two protagonists, can be seen at the Théâtre Hébertot from January 22, 2025.

The Prize takesus to December 10, 1946, at the Grand Hotel in Stockholm, shortly before the award ceremony for the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Otto Hahn receives a visit from Lise Meitner in his suite. This former colleague, with whom he had worked for over thirty years, was not there to congratulate him. She has come to confront Hahn and settle unresolved scores...

What's new in 2026: shows and plays to discover in Paris and the Île-de-France region
The year 2026 promises to be rich in theatrical novelties in Paris and the Île-de-France region: creations, comedies, revisited classics and young talents to discover. [Read more]

Plays to see this winter in Paris
Take advantage of winter evenings to discover the must-see plays in Paris. Dramas, comedies, classics: you name it! [Read more]

Cyril Gély 's captivating play explores the confrontation between two scientists faced with moral dilemmas and historical truths. Otto Hahn and Lise Meitner worked together for many years, and their partnership led to major discoveries, notably in nuclear fission. However, their relationship became strained after the Second World War.

• To be read
• The best deals in Paris and Île-de-France this week, from January 19 to 25, 2026

In 1938, Otto Hahn discovered uranium fission, but it was Lise Meitner, exiled to Sweden because of her Jewish origins, who, together with her nephew Otto Frisch, provided the theoretical interpretation of this discovery. Although their contribution was essential, Hahn alone was awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1944, which caused Meitner deep disappointment and a sense of injustice. Cyril Gély creates a fictional face-off in Le Prix, highlighting the underlying conflicts just after the end of the Second World War.

In Le Prix, directed by Tristan Petitgirard (La Machine de Turing, Rupture à domicile, Dans les yeux de Monet), Pierre Arditi and Ludmila Mikael take to the stage asOtto Hahn and Lise Meitner, for a climactic face-off. The actors' performance is accompanied by Schubert's Hungarian melody, played by Romain Trouillet. A promising and eagerly awaited play at the Théâtre Hébertot.