Numéro Deux: the story of the man who was not chosen to play Harry Potter returns

The Théâtre Tristan Bernard presents Numéro Deux, an adaptation of David Foenkinos' novel recounting the story of the 1999 casting call to choose the young actor who would playHarry Potter in the films. The show follows the journey of the boy who was a finalist but was not selected, and explores the repercussions of a defining event on an entire life. Inspired by the author's text, this lively show questions failure, success, and personal development in a story set in the heart of the Parisian scene.

Léonard Prain 'stheatrical adaptation transposes Foenkinos' writing into a stage form focused on intimacy. Sophie Accard's direction offers a fluid narrative device, alternating between humor and seriousness, with acting direction attentive to the transitions between memories, projections, and reality. Blandine Vieillot's set design accompanies this dramatic construction, while Simon Cornevin's lighting and Atossa's costumes structure the emotional evolution of the main character.

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The cast includes Martin Voisine, Pierre Bénézit, and Léonard Prain, as well as Serge Da Silva and Valentine Revel-Mouroz. Together, they embody the different figures who mark the protagonist's journey, allowing the play to address issues related to missed opportunities, family expectations, and the weight of memory. Léonard Prain's adaptation revisits the novel's questions about the psychological impact of a casting as highly publicized as that of Harry Potter.

Part of the Théâtre Tristan Bernard's season, the show deals with universal themes: the place of the individual in a society that values success, our relationship with the past, the influence of early decisions, and the way popular culture shapes our imaginations. This approach makes it a contemporary theatrical offering that engages as much with personal narratives as with the collective memory linked to the world of Harry Potter.

Numéro Deux can be seen at the Théâtre Tristan Bernard until January 3, 2026.