Avignon Off 2026: Dance and Theatre Highlights

The Festival d'Avignon celebrates its 60th anniversary, reaffirming its status as a premier live performance event. The article highlights three productions. 'Misère intellectuelle' by Romain Bouteille, directed by his son Shams Bouteille, runs July 4–25 at Théâtre du Chapeau-rouge. The play, written in 2002, features René-Alban Fleury as a comedian reflecting on culture, money, democracy, and the art world. Brahim Bouchelaghem's 'Malmus' (Arabic for 'tangible') explores reality versus imagination in the age of AI. Performed by seven dancers in black, the piece blends hip-hop and contemporary dance, with lighting creating chiaroscuro effects. It runs July 10–20 at Les Hivernales. Catherine Dreyfus's 'Le complexe des Homards' uses the lobster molting metaphor to depict adolescence in the digital age. Featuring Victor Lamard-Paget and Federica Miani, the dance-theatre piece incorporates hip-hop vocabulary. It runs July 4–24 at La Scierie.