Kelly Rivière's 'La vie rêvée' at Théâtre La Bruyère

In her solo show 'La vie rêvée' at Théâtre La Bruyère, actress and writer Kelly Rivière recounts her difficult journey as a performer, weaving together burlesque and poetic scenes. The play centers on a murder party game for a tech company, where Rivière plays multiple characters. She reflects on her childhood dream of becoming a classical dancer, thwarted by criticism about her body, and her eventual turn to acting. Key figures include her English mother, a fan of Laurence Olivier, her stepmother, a casting director, her grandmother Nana, her friend Max from Cours Florent who died of cancer at 30, and her grandfather Pépé, a former stagehand at Comédie Française. Rivière trained in Poland under radical director Grotowski in -35°C and in Germany performing Kabaret. The show blends joy and melancholy, with Rivière dancing, playing piano, and singing. Photos by Pauline Le Goff accompany the review by Hélène Kuttner.