The art of not saying: when power plays with words at 13th Art

With L'art de ne pas dire, Clément Viktorovitch takes the stage at 13e Art until April 28, 2025, for a political fiction about the language of power.

Until April 28, 2025, the Théâtre Le 13e Art is hosting L'art de ne pas dire, the first one-man show by Clément Viktorovitch, PhD in political science and media figure known for his popularization columns on France Info, Clique and Quotidien. Co-written with Ferdinand Barbet, who also directs, this fictionalshow sheds light on the rhetorical workings of power through the character of a deposed presidential communications advisor.

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The story takes the form of a fictitious conference given by a former Élysée strategist, brutally ousted and determined to exact his revenge. By exposing the behind-the-scenes techniques used to manufacture consent, win elections or steer public opinion, the character would embody a lucid and gritty dive into the backstage world of political communication. Straddling the boundary between theater and essay, the text presents language as an instrument of power, and even as a means of concealment.

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L'art de ne pas dire is aimed at audiences interested in rhetoric, contemporary political issues and hybrid forms combining theater, lecture and critical reflection. Those accustomed to Clément Viktorovitch 's interventions in the media may find here a more intimate, more acidic stage version of his analytical work. Audiences looking for a traditional play or a fictional narrative detached from current political events might be less interested in this highly intellectual and critical proposal. The show would extend the reflections begun in his essay Le Pouvoir rhétorique, published in 2022.

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Clément Viktorovitch 's L'art de ne pas dire is a committed theatrical fiction that lays bare the language strategies of contemporary power. Somewhere between black humor, pedagogy and political satire, this one-man show offers a stimulating reflection on the role of discourse in modern democracy.

This article is based on publicly available information. The show has not been viewed by our editorial team.

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