Le roi se meurt
E.Ionesco
Each year, several scenographic designers form teams to produce a randomly chosen play decided by a jury. Each team must incorporate a specific number of elements into their design (models, diagrams, moodboards, etc.) and, after a limited production period of just 3 days, must present their work to the committee. The committee will then choose the winning team, which will have best summarized the play and met the criteria.
Le Roi se meurt (The King is Dying) by Eugène Ionesco is a play that explores the inevitable decline and death of a monarch, King Bérenger I. At the beginning of the play, the king is informed by his court, including his queens and the doctor, that his health is deteriorating and his reign is coming to an end. The kingdom is falling apart, and the king refuses to accept the truth of his mortality, despite overwhelming evidence.
Throughout the play, the king’s attempts to assert control and resist his fate lead to frustration, as he cannot stop the inevitable. The kingdom's physical decay mirrors his own decline. He struggles with his inability to act and give orders, and as the play progresses, the set begins to disappear, symbolizing the king’s gradual demise. Ultimately, the king’s death is imminent, marking the end of his reign and the kingdom.
Costume Designers: Malle Chastanet, Ophélie Boismenu
Set Designers: Maxime Côté, Laura Jaubertie, Luna Bedel
Lighting Designers: Lauriane Cuello, Ninon Cholette
Sound Designer: Marie-Lü Charron-Poggioli