Run time: 75 mins

(Subtitled)

Language: French

Bertrand Usclat and Martin Darondeau’s hilarious laugh-a-minute comedy is a wonderfully chaotic love letter to theatre.

Certain institutions are indispensable if one wants to know Paris. One of these is the Comédie-Française, a national theatre, and one of France’s most revered arts institutions; dedicated to French playwright Molière, but which also puts on plays by other classic French dramatists, foreign greats, and some modern playwrights. The theatre has a dedicated corps of players, and when they join, the have the “de la Comédie-Française” attached to their names. There is one golden rule: the play is never cancelled.  

Unfortunately for theatre producer Nina (Pauline Clément), everything is unravelling just three hours before the premiere of her first production – an ambitious retelling of Macbeth. Her lead actor is stuck on a train, tensions are exploding, passions flaring, equipment breaking down and egos are clashing. With panic setting in and the clock ticking, Nina must hold things together at all costs. Will the show go on?

France’s runaway hit comedy is a delicious behind-the-scenes farce which is unafraid to poke fun at the highbrow reputation of French theatre.