Compagnie Chantal & Bernadette's Kevin examines the education system at Théâtre la Seizième, May 21 to 23
Brussels-based company also presents its beloved play La Convivialité, which addresses convention in French spelling
SPONSORED POST BY Théâtre la Seizième
Kevin. Photo by Jérôme Van Belle
Théâtre la Seizième presents Brussels-based Compagnie Chantal & Bernadette’s Kevin at the Waterfront Theatre from May 21 to 23 at 7:30 pm.
It’s high-school geography class, and despite the teacher’s explanations, Kevin is unable to sort out his map based on cardinal points drawn on the whiteboard. His teachers are at a loss: why can’t this student grasp such a basic lesson? Twenty years later, this failure marks the beginning of investigations into educational success and equal opportunity.
Following their French spelling-revolution play La Convivialité, Arnaud Hoedt and Jérôme Piron are now taking on school with Kevin. Slyly casual and deliciously facetious, the two former teachers point fingers at the flaws of a multitiered education system. This playful show unpacks the workings of an invisible selection process that favours students with the right academic background from the outset—and leaves others by the wayside.
Kevin is created and directed by Hoedt, Piron, and Antoine Defoort, with the participation of Clément Thirion. Kévin Matagne is behind the show’s video, set, and props design, while lighting design is courtesy of Charlotte Plissart.
Performances take place in French with English surtitles. On May 21, a post-show talkback is happening in French with Lucile Denys, who is an orthopédagogue (reading and writing specialist). A bilingual meet-the-artists conversation is taking place May 22.
Kevin. Photo by Jérôme Van Belle
For folks who want to experience more of Compagnie Chantal & Bernadette’s work, Théâtre la Seizième is also presenting Hoedt and Piron’s aforementioned play La Convivialité at the Waterfront Theatre on May 19 and 20 at 7:30 pm. It runs in French with no subtitles.
A technical tool disguised as a marker of prestige, institutionalized spelling unleashes passions and bolsters the powerful. The French language presents many questions for those learning it—like why the verb “alourdir”, meaning “to burden”, is written with a single ‘l’, while “alléger”, “to lighten”, takes two. Led by a pair of linguists who make light of this weighted debate, La Convivialité is a subversive show that shakes up the dogmas surrounding written norms—and with them, centuries of status quo.
Both Kevin and La Convivialité have toured extensively in Belgium and France, with a tally of over 650 performances since their creation.
Purchase tickets to Kevin here and La Convivialité here.
Post sponsored by Théâtre la Seizième.
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