From October 9, 2025, the Théâtre de l'Œuvre in Paris will host the first stage adaptation in France of Killer Joe, a hard-hitting play by American author Tracy Letts. The production brings together Rod Paradot and Benoît Solès on stage, in a tense huis clos, part theatrical thriller, part family drama. The staging promises a nervous immersion in a desperate America, where money becomes the trigger for a downward spiral. Presented until January 4, 2026, the play runs Thursday to Saturday at 9pm and Sunday at 6pm.
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The starting point is simple, almost crude: Chris, a destitute young man, has to come up with $50,000 in a hurry. His plan: to have his mother murdered in order to collect the life insurance. To achieve this, he hires Killer Joe, a corrupt policeman and hitman in his spare time. But the scheme, based on a cynical calculation, gradually turns against its instigators. Between psychological tension, manipulations and moral swings, the play plunges the spectator into a relentless dramatic crescendo, where the family unit becomes the theater of a collapse.
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Killer Joe would appeal to an audience with a taste for stage thrillers and high drama. The play would blend suspense, psychological violence and dark humor in a form that would appeal as much to fans of American independent cinema as to enthusiasts of contemporary theater. Not recommended for under-16s, it would not suit audiences sensitive to scenes of tension or brutal themes.
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Tracy Letts is an acclaimed playwright and actor, and the author ofAugust: Osage County. With Killer Joe, written in 1993 and adapted for the screen by William Friedkin in 2011, he wrote a radical text on poverty, family brutality and ambient cynicism. This first French adaptation, starring two highly recognizable actors - Rod Paradot, revelation of the film La Tête haute, and Benoît Solès, known for La Machine de Turing - offers an intense stage version of this explosive huis clos.
With Killer Joe, the Théâtre de l'Œuvre is adding a dark, captivating drama to its fall program, offering audiences a stage experience that is both breathtaking and disturbing. With its taut narrative, committed acting and contemporary staging, this French adaptation promises to leave a lasting impression.
This article is based on information available about the show and is not based on a viewing of the piece.
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Dates and Opening Time
From October 9, 2025 to January 4, 2026
Location
Théâtre de l'Œuvre
55 Rue de Clichy
75009 Paris 9
Booking
www.theatredeloeuvre.com
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