Rencontre avec Snowden: contemporary theater at the Folie Théâtre

Discover Rencontre avec Snowden, Sylvain Bastonero's creation about the American whistleblower, at the Folie Théâtre from November 13, 2025, to January 31, 2026.

In the fall of 2025,La Folie Théâtre will present Rencontre avec Snowden, a creation by Sylvain Bastonero dedicated to the journey of whistleblower Edward Snowden. The author and director draws on the story of the computer scientist who, in 2013, revealed the existence of a global mass surveillance system run by the NSA. The show is structured around a personal account, presented as the testimony of a meeting in Russia several years after the events, in order to retrace the major stages of this commitment and examine the democratic issues raised by these revelations.

Sylvain Bastonero's staging seeks to recreate the different contexts experienced by the central character: from the impact of the September 11, 2001 attacks to the gradual awareness of the functioning of secret surveillance programs. The staging takes the form of a narrative that combines factual descriptions, real-life situations, and reflections on the protection of individual freedoms. The show addresses these themes through a contemporary theatrical approach, rooted in documentary elements and collective acting.

The cast includes Alexis Tran, Celya Humann, Cyrielle Buquet, Clara Jauvart-Lacoste, Jérémie Scheffler, and Sylvain Bastonero. The project is supported by a team committed to exploring the concepts of integrity, civic responsibility, and the flow of information on stage. The presence of several performers allows for multiple points of view and reflects the diversity of situations related to the Snowden affair, from his revelations to their international repercussions.

Part of the "Un sujet fort" (A Strong Subject) category for the 2025-2026 season, Rencontre avec Snowden is part of a program that questions current political and societal issues. The show is aimed at audiences interested in issues of digital surveillance, institutional transparency, and the defense of fundamental rights. By offering a theatrical reinterpretation of an event that continues to fuel public debate, the play contributes to the place accorded to documentary theater in the contemporary performing arts landscape.

Rencontre avec Snowden can be seen at the Folie Théâtre until January 31, 2026.

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