Ariane Mnouchkine's New Production 'Ici sont les dragons' Examines Resurgent Totalitarianism

Ariane Mnouchkine, the renowned director of Théâtre du Soleil, is presenting a new collective creation titled 'Ici sont les dragons' at the Cartoucherie de Vincennes in Paris. The production runs until May 31, 2026. The work explores the emergence of totalitarian regimes during the period from 1918 to 1933, using the metaphor of dragons to represent dangerous and cruel imperialist forces. Mnouchkine explains that the title originates from the Latin phrase 'Hic sunt dracones,' historically used on maps to denote unknown dangers. The performance features historical figures such as Lenin, Stalin, Hitler, Churchill, Wilson, and Léon Blum, portrayed through masks, multilingual dialogue, and innovative staging techniques. Mnouchkine emphasizes that the production is relevant today, arguing that the 'dragons' of totalitarianism, temporarily defeated after World War II, are re-emerging globally. She cites George Orwell as a rare thinker who recognized multiple totalitarian threats simultaneously, unlike many who only identified them in opposing ideologies. The production's subtitle, 'Choc et mensonge' (Shock and Lie), is attributed to Joseph Goebbels' propaganda methods, not contemporary politics. Mnouchkine defends the use of pre-recorded voices and masks, stating that masks reveal rather than conceal, showing the historicity and lineage of characters. The multilingual approach includes Russian, Ukrainian, English, French, German, and Japanese, intended to immerse audiences in different cultural contexts. The director asserts that the piece aims to challenge the common error of identifying totalitarianism only in others while ignoring domestic threats.