Following its success last spring, Le Lucernaire welcomes back Bel-Ami, a theatrical adaptation of Guy de Maupassant's famous novel. Directed by the Compagnie des Joues Rouges and Claudie Russo-Pelosi, the play returns to the Paris stage from August 27 to November 9, 2025. A long-awaited return for this social and satirical fresco on ambition and power.
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Bel-Ami will be performed at the Théâtre du Lucernaire from August 27 to November 9, 2025, in Paris(6ᵉ arrondissement), Wednesday to Saturday at 8:30pm and Sunday at 5pm.
Synopsis: Paris, 1880s. A penniless young provincial, Georges Duroy arrives in the capital with the ambition of making a name for himself. As a journalist at La Vie Française, he learns to use words and influence to climb the ladder. Five women, seduced in turn, will help him rise above his condition. A breathtaking social ascent in a society dominated by appearances and power.
Adapted and directed by Claudie Russo-Pelosi, Bel-Ami revisits Guy de Maupassant 's novel in a modern, fast-paced reading. The director describes her hero as a "fascinating anti-hero, a reflection of a society where everything is about appearances and strategy". On stage, the set becomes a playground where the balance of power is constantly reversed, revealing a world in perpetual mutation.
The Compagnie des Joues Rouges, already noted for L'Écume des jours, here transposes Maupassant's biting satire into a teeming theatrical universe, blending acting, movement and music. The show opens with a choreographed tableau depicting a bustling Parisian alleyway, a vivid image of 19thᵉ century worldly Paris.
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On stage, a troupe of eleven actors interpret the key figures in this human comedy: Aurélien Raynal, Sara Belviso, Hanna Rosenblum, Sophie Condette, Aymeric Haumont, Clémence Roche, Adrien Grassard, Coline Girard-Carillo, Thomas Lefrançois, Emma Laurent, Julie Bordas and Messaline Paillet. Together, they breathe new life into Maupassant's social satire, with its blend of cynicism, charm and irony.
The show's costumes, inspired by Paris in the 1880s, embody the codes and tensions of a hierarchical society. Each fabric reflects the social rank and rise or fall of the characters, symbolizing the game of appearances at the heart of the novel. The emblematic accessory of this adaptation remains the gousset watch, a metaphor for the passage of time and the gain or loss of power.
Through the story of Georges Duroy, this adaptation explores the universal themes of ambition, power and influence. The show questions the boundary between personal success and moral compromise, offering contemporary resonance in an age when image and reputation still shape success.
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Bel-Ami is for lovers of literary theater and enthusiasts of great social frescoes. Audiences sensitive to XIXᵉ century classics revisited with modern staging will find it of particular interest. Those in search of more experimental contemporary creations might be less concerned.
By Guy de Maupassant, adapted by Compagnie des Joues Rouges and directed by Claudie Russo-Pelosi. A 1h20 show, presented at Le Lucernaire (Paris 6ᵉ), revisits Georges Duroy 's journey through 19thᵉ century Paris, between satire, ambition and power.
With its large cast and fast-paced staging, Bel-Ami offers an accessible, visually rich retelling of Maupassant's novel. The play combines faithfulness to the text with a modern approach, confirming the expertise of Compagnie des Joues Rouges in the art of adapting the great classics of French literature.
This article is based on available information. The Bel-Ami show has not been viewed by the editorial team.
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Dates and Opening Time
From October 8, 2025 to November 9, 2025
Location
Lucernaire
53 rue Notre-Dame des Champs
75006 Paris 6
Prices
€10 - €32
Booking
www.lucernaire.fr
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