Waiting for Yoann: Laurent Mauvignier, Proches

19.09.2318.09.23 from Kai Nonnenmacher

This article is written in German. Automatic translations:

The presence of Yoann, remembered or fantasmée, is always encadrée par des crochets.
Laurent Mauvignier Relatives, “Notes” (Minuit, 2023).

Yoann's remembered or imagined presence is always framed by square brackets.

In 2023, two novels by Laurent Mauvignier, born in Tours in 1967, will be published in German: his 500-page novel Stories of the Night (2020, German) Stories of the Night) at Matthes and Seitz, aside from that Men (2009, German) From people) at WagenbachIn both cases, these are problematic family arrangements. At the same time, Mauvignier's play is being performed in France. Relatives (in the sense of Family members), which will be performed in various theaters in France in 2023 and 2024.

Tellement proches. On est si proches — tellement rapprochés qu'on peut plus respirer — j'étouffe — on étouffe à force d'être si proches.
Laurent Mauvignier Relatives (Minuit, 2023).

So close. We are so close — so close that we can't breathe — I'm suffocating — we're suffocating because we're so close.

First comes the piece Relatives in September 2023 The hill (Press Kit and Program) on stage, the theatre summarizes Mauvignier's work as a study of people who "try to overcome their intimate traumas, such as suicide". (Loin d'eux) and a disappearance (All my love), or collective traumas, such as the Heysel disaster (Dans la foule) and the Algerian War (Of Men)). " ¹ And in the new play?

After four years in prison, Yoann is released, and even before his arrival, everyone in his family reacts with irritation, each alone with their own memories. The family in Relatives Moreover, Yoann's criminality had to come at a price in the small town. His father, suffering from lung cancer, his mother, two sisters, his brother-in-law, and even a former lover, all waited. In vain. In her otherwise rather critical review, Fabienne Pascaud relates this constellation to the deep tradition of the theatrical motif: "The sons or male strangers who disturb, destroy, or expose a family through their return or arrival have always been plentiful in theater and film. From the..." Oresteia from Aeschylus (458 BC) to Pasolini Theorem (1968), by Molière Truffles (1669) to Jean-Luc Lagarces Just the end of the world (1990). In Proches, In Laurent Mauvignor's latest play, which he himself — and for the first time! — skillfully directs, Yoann's actual presence is not even necessary to convey his message. "relatives" to electrify." ² Mauvignier himself cites Jon Fosses as a possible reference. Quelqu'un va venir (Someone else is coming) ³.

Joëlle Gayot discusses Mauvignier's play as one that ultimately stages the deconstruction of the family only ("To each scene he adds a grain of sand (an accusation, a confession, a guilt, a lie, a misdeed)") in order to attempt, behind this alibi, above all a play about writing for the stage. ⁴ In addition: Laurent Mauvignier originally wrote the screenplay for a short film, and later developed it further for the theatre.

This leads to Mauvignier's own references to Pasolini and Hitchcock:

J'ai pensé beaucoup à Theorem de Pasolini. Même si ici the Visiteur de Pasolini is remplacé by a brother, a fils, an amant que tous connaissent, sa presence is also a vector of transformation de chacun. Yoann is also a part of the scene in the piece, or son of a narrator, which has the capacity to transform the décor, to replace the elements, to create the quatrième mur. On pourrait presque croire, à un certain moment, que ce ne sont pas tant les personnages qui se souviennent de lui ou qui l'imaginent que lui, inversement, qui les imagine pensant à lui. If you don't want to miss the bande advertisement originale de Psycho, You're invited to all regards on YouTube: Hitchcock is promène sur les lies du crime, in the house of Norman Bates, in the motel, just in the fameuse and mythique salle d'eau. Il nous raconte ce qui va arriver, just at a certain point. Yoann, just at a certain point lui aussi, nous raconte ce qui va advenir, comme un démiurge, comme un creator s'amusant de ses créatures.
Laurent Mauvignier ⁵

I have much of Pasolini Theorem thought. Even though Pasolini's visitor is replaced here by a brother, a son, a lover whom everyone knows, his presence is also a vector for the transformation of each individual. Yoann is also a bit of the director of the play, or its narrator, hence his ability to change the set, move elements, and break the fourth wall. At one point, you might almost think that it's not so much the characters who remember him or imagine him, but rather he who imagines that they think of him. If you watch the original trailer for Psycho If you haven't seen it yet, you should watch it on YouTube: Hitchcock wanders around the crime scene, in Norman Bates's house, in the motel, right up to the famous and legendary washroom. He tells us what will happen, up to a certain point. Yoann, too, tells us what will happen, up to a certain point, like a demiurge, like a creator taking pleasure in his creations.

Alfred Hitchcock, Psycho (1960), Classic Trailer

In contrast to the linearity of a novel's line of dialogue, Mauvignier can arrange language freely in the space on stage, even freed from the constraints of dialogue. This is how the author explains the first play he directed himself, and the notational notes at the beginning of the play, which explain the orchestration of language:

C'est un mouvement fait de reprises, de contradictions, de relance – c'est très difficile pour les comédiens, d'autant qu'il faut mémoriser autant les trous que les pleins, les silences, les arrêts et, bien sûr, apprendre à parler en même temps que les autres. Si dans l'art de la conversation on apprend à écouter les autres avant de leur répondre, dans la vie vivante, la vie des gens, on se parle dessus comme on se marche dessus, on déplie et déploie sa propre pensée bien avant de songer à répondre à son interlocuteur.
Laurent Mauvignier ⁶

It is a movement comprised of repetitions, contradictions, and new beginnings – this is very difficult for the actors, especially since they have to remember both the gaps and the fullness, the silences and the pauses, and of course, learn to speak simultaneously with the others. While in the art of conversation one learns to listen to others before answering them, in real life, in people's lives, we talk over each other, as if walking past each other, developing and expanding our own thoughts long before we think of replying to our conversation partner.

Rehearsal photo Laurent Mauvignier, *Relatives*© Tuong-Vi Nguyen

[Yoann la regarde, elle le voit, s'adresse à lui:

VANESSA. – Franchment, c'est nul. I see you in this parlour saloon and it's like you can see what you're looking for, but I'm still there for you. (A time.) Tu me manques tellement, mon frère. Je t'aime.

YOANN. -Toi also tu me manques. Vous me manquez. Vous m'avez toujours manqué.

Didier lâche un râle d'agacement – un rire sarcastique, un signe de colère. Tous se retournent verse lui. Yoann disparait.]

DIDIER. – Oui, bien sûr, c'est ça. La prison, ça rapproche.

VANESSA. – Moi, this is my rapprochement.

DIDIER. – C'est connu pour ça, de rapprocher les gens. On se sent si proches les us des otheres –

VANESSA. – Je dis pas pour les other.

DIDIER. – T'avais remarqué comment on s'est rapprochés, tous ? Tellement proches. On est si proches – tellement rapprochés qu'on peut plus respirer – j'étouffe – on étouffe à force d'être si proches.

VANESSA. – Je dis pas pour les other. Mais moi, oui – oui – moi ça m'a rapprochée de lui.

DIDIER. – Ah oui, toi… “Toi”.

MALOU. – Dad, laisse-la parler.

DIDIER. – Toi, dès qu'il s'agit de défendre ta sœur ou ton frère contre ta mère et moi… Mais dire que ça rapproche, ça, non, non… je peux pas. Je peux pas entendre ça.

MALOU. – Elle parle pas pour toi.

VANESSA. – J'en sais rien de ce que / les autres vivent, il ya pas que toi ici.
Laurent Mauvignier, Proches (Minuit, 2023).

[Yoann looks at her, she sees him, speaks to him:

VANESSA. – Honestly, this sucks. I come to see you in this damn visiting room and it's like I'm coming for you to help me, even though I'm the one who should be helping you.Pause.I miss you so much, my brother. I love you.

YOANN. – I miss you too. I miss you. I've always missed you all.

Didier lets out an annoyed clearing of his throat—a sarcastic laugh, a sign of anger. Everyone turns to him. Yoann disappears..]

DIDIER. – Yes, of course, that's it. Prison brings you closer together.

VANESSA. – It brought me closer.

Didier. – It's known for bringing people closer together. You feel so close to each other.

VANESSA. – I'm not speaking for the others.

DIDIER. – Have you noticed how close we've all gotten? So close. We're so close – so close you can't breathe – I'm suffocating – you suffocate because you're so close.

VANESSA. – I won't say anything about the others. But I, yes – yes – I've grown closer to him because of it.

DIDIER. – Oh yes, you… “You”. You".

MALOU. – Dad, let her talk.

DIDIER. – You, as soon as it comes to defending your sister or brother against your mother and me… But to say that this brings you together, that, no, no… I can't hear that. I can't hear that.

MALOU. – She doesn't speak for you.

VANESSA. – I don't know what the others are experiencing; you're not the only one here.

Laurent Mauvignier, conversation about his play "Proches" at the Theater La Colline

Reference / Citation suggestion

Nonnenmacher, Kai. "Waiting for Yoann: Laurent Mauvignier, Proches." Rentrée littéraire: contemporary French literature. 2023. Accessed on Mai 12, 2026 at 19:33. https://rentree.de/2023/09/18/warten-auf-yoann-laurent-mauvignier-proches/.

This article is written in German and can be found at https://rentree.de. Automatic translations into English and French are available. English, French.

Kai Nonnenmacher

Otto-Friedrich-Universität Bamberg | Contact

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Notes

“Son univers est celui d'êtres en prize avec le réel, qui tentent de surmonter leurs traumatismes intimes, tels un suicide (Loin d'eux) et une disparition (All my Love), or collectifs, with the drama of Heysel (Dans la foule) et la guerre d'Algérie (Des Hommes).“ Page about the play at the theatre The hill.>>>
“Les fils or des inconnus males qui viennent perturber, détruire ou révéler une famille par leur return ou leur arrivée, the theater comme le cinéma depuis toujours en regorgent. De The Oresteia d'Eschyle (– 458 av. J.-C.) au Theorem de Pasolini (1968), you Truffles de Molière (1669) à Just the end of the world de Jean-Luc Lagarce (1990). Dans Proches, The final piece of Laurent Mauvignier is as good as it gets - and for the first time! — habilement en scène, pas meme besoin de la presence réelle de Yoann pour électriser ses « proches ».” Fabienne Pascaud, ““Proches”, a piece of ultra psychology and inspiration from Laurent Mauvignier”, Telerama, 13. September 2023.>>>
Sean Rose, “Laurent Mauvignier, la mise en scène comme geste d'écriture,” Weekly Books, 11. September 2023.>>>
"Le drama repose sur des presque riens que Laurent Mauvignier orchestre avec une virtuosité épatante. A chaque séquence de jeu, il ajoute un grain de sable (un reproche, une confession, une culpabilité, un mensonge, un méfait) jusqu'à former un édifice branlant voué à s'effondrer. Tant de systématisme dans l'élaboration du chaos sème le doute sur ses véritables intentions theater?” Joëlle Gayot, “Avec « Proches », Laurent Mauvignier fait dérailer la famille”, Le Monde, 15. September 2023.>>>
Laurent Mauvignier, “'Le désir de théâtre s'est toujours affirmé pour moi conjointement à la réalité du roman' (Proches)", written by Johan Faerber, Diacriticism, 11. September 2023.>>>
Laurent Mauvignier, “'Le désir de théâtre s'est toujours affirmé pour moi conjointement à la réalité du roman' (Proches)", written by Johan Faerber, Diacriticism, 11. September 2023.>>>

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