Oh les beaux jours !: Beckett at the Petit Saint-Martin

The Théâtre du Petit Saint-Martin presents Oh les beaux jours !, one of Samuel Beckett's most iconic works, directed by Alain Françon. This new production explores the condition of Winnie, a central figure in Beckett's theater, whose tireless speech resists the gradual decline of the body and the weight of time, in a deliberately stripped-down stage setting.

The play depicts a suspended existence in which Winnie unfurls her memories, rituals, and hopes despite her imposed immobility. Opposite her, Willie embodies a rare but decisive presence. This opposition between verbal flow and near-silence, between light and abandonment, creates a poetic huis clos that questions the persistence of life. The staging is based on a set designed by Jacques Gabel and lighting by Jean-Pascal Pracht to accentuate this tension between immobility and elevation.

Dominique Valadié plays Winnie with an intensity that combines vulnerability and humor, bringing to life the vitality of this tragic and luminous heroine. Alexandre Ruby embodies a discreet and enigmatic Willie, reinforcing the contrasts that structure Beckett's writing. Nicolas Doutey's dramaturgy highlights the profoundly theatrical dimension of the work, drawing in particular on the staging notes developed by Beckett himself during his own productions.

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Conceived as a theatrical poem, Oh les beaux jours ! unfolds its recurring themes—memory, everyday life, resistance—through lively dialogue and tense stage presence. The show manifests Beckett's desire to "put poetry on hold on stage," in his own words, by reducing theater to its fundamental elements in order to better reveal the power of words.

With this new creation, Alain Françon continues his exploration of Beckett's repertoire, offering the audience a refined perspective on one of the major works of 20th-century theater. Oh les beaux jours ! can be seen from November 13, 2025, to January 17, 2026, at the Petit Saint-Martin.

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