Description
By Laurène Marx.
Based on interviews with Rita Nkat Bayang conducted by Laurène Marx and Bwanga Pilipili.
Nominated for the 2026 Molière Awards in the Solo Performance category.
In September 2023, Mathis, a nine-year-old schoolboy near Charleroi, was subjected to racist insults from his classmates. In response, he flew into a rage that the school deemed uncontrollable, prompting them to call the police. Upon arriving, his mother, Rita, found her son pinned to the ground by a police officer.
This “sad stand-up” comedy recounts the journey of this mother—a Cameroonian businesswoman who became a housekeeper—and explores a journey of identity that is not her own. The uniqueness of this show lies in the convergence of three perspectives: that of a mother, at the heart of the story; that of an actress, herself a victim of ethno-racial discrimination; and that of a white trans writer. Three perspectives that intersect, united by a shared experience of fetishization and dehumanization.
“An empty, bare stage, with a microphone on a stand in the center. No frills, nothing to take the edge off. As we suspected, this will be a tough moment. Moving and spellbinding.”—L’Humanité
Starring: Bwanga Pilipili. Lighting: Kelig Le Bars. Musical Direction: Laurène Marx. Music Composition: Maïa Blondeau with the participation of Nils Rougé. Artistic Collaboration: Jessica Guilloud. Assistant: Elsa Rayan.
Production: Compagnie Hande Kader / Bureau des Filles*. Co-production: Théâtre Ouvert-Centre National des Dramaturgies Contemporaines, Les Quinconces and L’Espal SN du Mans, Le Festival d’Automne in Paris, The Théâtre National Wallonie Bruxelles, Les Halles de Schaerbeek, Collectif FAIR-E CCN Rennes, Théâtre National de Strasbourg, Théâtre Sorano (state-subsidized theater), Toulouse.
