Claudia Munyengabe's 'Reste' Premieres at Avignon Festival
In Bujumbura, Burundian playwright and actress Claudia Munyengabe created 'Reste', a narrative centered around twin sisters harboring a secret amid a political and environmental crisis. One sister faces imprisonment for sketching a prohibited star, while the other, connected to the government, strives to secure her release. Their discussions in prison delve into themes of accountability. Munyengabe views this work as a form of resistance. Composed in December 2025 during her residency in Lomé, the play debuted at the Avignon Festival on July 18, 2026, featuring École du Nord students Louna Giriat, Ruth Kouamé, Djénaé Segonds, and musician Pierre-Alexandre Lampert, and was directed by Armel Roussel as part of the radio series 'Ça va, ça va le monde !' with backing from various organizations.
Key facts
- Claudia Munyengabe wrote 'Reste' in December 2025 in Lomé during a residency by the La Fabrique de Fictions festival.
- The play was performed at the Avignon Festival on July 18, 2026.
- The cast includes students from the École du Nord / Lille: Louna Giriat, Ruth Kouamé, and Djénaé Segonds.
- Direction by Armel Roussel, assisted by Lucas de Oliveira and Sarah Murcia.
- Sound design by Pierre-Alexandre Lampert.
- The play is part of the radio cycle 'Ça va, ça va le monde !' coordinated by Pascal Paradou.
- The production is a coproduction of RFI and Compagnie [e]utopia.
- Munyengabe's previous works include 'Longue eau', '#Habib257', 'Les I sur Les autres', and 'Le roi est Mort, vive la Reine'.
- Her play 'Le roi est Mort, vive la Reine' was published in English by the University of Michigan in the anthology 'Speaking Ourselves, New plays by african women'.
- Munyengabe is based in Bujumbura and is a member of the Shakespearean Theater Group and Les Enfoirés de SaNoLaDante.
Entities
Artists
- Claudia Munyengabe
- Armel Roussel
- Lucas de Oliveira
- Sarah Murcia
- Pierre-Alexandre Lampert
- Louna Giriat
- Ruth Kouamé
- Djénaé Segonds
- Pascal Paradou
- Jean-Paul Delore
- Yacine Benyacoub
- David Bobée
- Alice Mesnard
- Nicolas Benita
- Benoît Goutorbe
- Benjamin Avayou
- Siegfried Forster
- Sonia Borelva
- Pascal Gély
- Dominique Fiant
- Romain Ferré
Institutions
- RFI
- Compagnie [e]utopia
- Institut français
- SACD
- Wallonie-Bruxelles International
- École du Nord – École supérieure d'art dramatique
- La Fabrique de Fictions
- Shakespearean Theater Group
- Les Enfoirés de SaNoLaDante
- Institut français du Burundi
- University of Michigan
- Buja Sans Tabou festival
- Avignon Festival
Locations
- Bujumbura
- Burundi
- Lomé
- Togo
- Avignon
- France
- Lille
- Michigan
- United States