How could cigarettes that make you laugh not be a comedic argument? A ‘soft’ drug, yet still prohibited in many countries, including France, cannabis is emblematic of a certain social hypocrisy: parents fear their children will use it, even though they used it themselves at their age or occasionally still do so in secret. Times are changing, though; today, it’s the parents who hide to smoke.
Who could have believed just a few years ago that we would come to this point, and so quickly? The entirely unprecedented situation in which we have all been immersed for many months leads us to reflect more broadly on the world in which we live, on the political class that governs us, and, since democracy has not yet entirely succumbed to the security virus, on our own responsibility for having brought them to power and keeping them there.
Can we truly rely entirely on absurd governors and administrations to lead our fear-stricken society toward healing? This health crisis has undoubtedly raised, above all, questions about the limits of the principle of delegation of power in our democracy. In the United States as in France, entrusting one’s destiny once every four or five years to a King Ubu, is that really what democracy is?
Far from all conspiracy theories, which ultimately only serve to reinforce the engaged citizen that we should be in a passive spectator role, these four pieces primarily aim to open a debate, always with a touch of humor. The role of the theater is to ask the right questions, not to provide answers that each person should find for themselves, before attempting to implement them together.
Quarantine
Check to the kings
Is there an author in the audience?
COVID 19, health crisis, state of emergency Lire la suite »
Out of self-deprecation, it sometimes happens that the author portrays themselves on stage in a comedy with themes such as the absurdities of the writer’s profession, the lack of inspiration, or even plagiarism. Having been a victim of plagiarism himself multiple times, Jean-Pierre Martinez is well-versed in the subject.
Writers, inspiration, plagiarism Lire la suite »
If attachment to one’s cultural heritage can contribute to the definition of a personal identity, unconditional allegiance to any religion, voluntary submission to arbitrary traditions, the deadly pursuit of conformity to a norm, and blind identification with an ethnically pure but largely fantastical group are the starting points for the worst forms of identity extremism. Knowing where you come from to understand where you are going, yes. However, when the tyranny of one’s origin leads to a cult of the past, community isolation, and sectarian fanaticism, this obsessive focus on identity becomes a destructive process that can only result in self-annihilation through the annihilation of others.
To borrow a phrase from Georges Brassens, it is the moral duty of the humorist to mock « the blissful fools who were born somewhere. »
Today, the widespread availability of new genetic ancestry analysis technologies to the public can provide material for many comedies, especially when these DNA tests reveal unexpected connections.
Identity, genealogy, DNA Lire la suite »
Political theater can hardly rival the tragicomedy of power as it is daily portrayed, much like a serial, in the news broadcasts. In this realm, reality often surpasses fiction. But one can always attempt…
It is essential to acknowledge, moreover, that the foibles of the presumed elites who govern us and the excesses of power, especially when it is absolute, are inherently universal in that they are intrinsically linked to the weaknesses and flaws of human nature in general. While Jean-Pierre Martinez’s political comedies are most often inspired by the specifically French context, they often resonate with the unique situations of many other geographical areas. This is why they enjoy great success worldwide, as in each country, citizens recognize in these palace intrigues, autocratic abuses, or widespread corruption the characteristics of their own social and political environment.
Politics, totalitarianism, corruption Lire la suite »
Ecology can become the subject of tragicomedy when the folly of humans jeopardizes their very existence as a species. The theme of ecology is still relatively underexplored in theater as a genuine dramatic narrative. It is often addressed in an educational and moralizing manner in performances aimed at fostering a salutary awakening.
Jean-Pierre Martinez, in his theater works, tackles the impending climate apocalypse as a true tragedy in the literal sense. Just as in any tragedy, the protagonists are predeterminedly condemned by the dark forces eating away at them from within, and they hurtle towards their demise without taking any action to avert it, driven by fatalism or blinded by a sense of omnipotence.
For humanity, it’s another form of hubris to believe that it can overcome « nature » and drag it down with them. The foretold end of life on Earth won’t stop the world from turning. Humanity’s self-destruction won’t prevent life from thriving differently, or elsewhere.
Ecology is primarily a trial of humanity itself. Given its largely catastrophic track record, does humanity deserve to be saved? That is the true ethical question posed by the issue of the already-commenced climate apocalypse.
Ecology, climate, apocalypse Lire la suite »
Translation by the author
Fred and Sam have always dreamed of participating in the Avignon Festival, and finally, that dream has come true. But in Avignon, dreams can easily turn into nightmares. Right after the first performance, a harsh review discourages the audience from attending this already troubled show. Facing impending disaster, these two endearing underdogs make a daring choice – one that involves great risk.
This play is a tribute to all those actors who toil in obscurity, yearning for a glimpse of the limelight, while also celebrating the remarkable power of passion that can elevate even the most profound failures into something extraordinary.
This text is available to read for free. However, an authorization is required from the author prior to any public performance, whether by professional or amateur companies. To get in touch with Jean-Pierre Martinez and ask an authorization to represent one of his works CONTACT FORM
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The songs from the play. Lyrics and music Jean-Pierre Martinez. These songs may be used as part of a stage production, simple request to the author and without any additional fees. The audio file is available upon request, subject to prior authorization from the author for the use of the play’s text.
Is there a critic in the audience? Lire la suite »
English translation by the author
10 to 13 characters (males and/or females)
10: 8M/2F, 7M/3F, 6M/4F, 5M/5F, 4M/6F, 3M/7F, 2M/8F, 1M/9F, 10F
11: 8M/3F, 7M/4F, 6M/5F, 5M/6F, 4M/7F, 3M/8F, 2M/9F, 1M/10F, 11F
12: 8M/4F, 7M/5F, 6M/6F, 5M/7F, 4M/8F, 3M/9F, 2M/10F, 1M/11F, 12F
13: 8M/5F, 7M/6F, 6M/7F, 5M/8F, 4M/9F, 3M/10F, 2M/11F, 1M/12F, 13F
The hospital was almost perfect… The crime too. A darkly humorous detective comedy.
This text is available to read for free. However, an authorisation is required from the author prior to any public performance, whether by professional or amateur companies. To get in touch with Jean-Pierre Martinez and ask an authorisation to represent one of his works CONTACT FORM
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The song from the play. Lyrics and music Jean-Pierre Martinez. This song may be used as part of a stage production, simple request to the author and without any additional fees. The audio file is available upon request, subject to prior authorization from the author for the use of the play’s text.
White Coats Dark Humour Lire la suite »
Translation by the author
The time has come for Diana to introduce Khalid, her fiancé, to her parents. Annoyed by the patronizing attitude of his future in-laws, who appear excessively proud of their French lineage tracing back to the Middle Ages, Khalid teasingly challenges Diana to validate the authenticity of her ethnic heritage with a DNA test. The astonishing results of this test will set in motion a cascade of unforeseen events…
This text is available to read for free. However, an authorization is required from the author prior to any public performance, whether by professional or amateur companies. To get in touch with Jean-Pierre Martinez and ask an authorization to represent one of his works CONTACT FORM
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The song from the play. Lyrics and music Jean-Pierre Martinez. This song may be used as part of a stage production, simple request to the author and without any additional fees. The audio file is available upon request, subject to prior authorization from the author for the use of the play’s text.
A Comedy Mocking the Myth of Noble Origins
Diane tells her parents that she is going to marry Karim, a Frenchman of Moroccan descent. In this Catholic, conservative family, fiercely proud of a French lineage supposedly stretching back to the Middle Ages, the news is greeted with a reserve that is difficult to conceal. Irritated by their prejudice, Karim challenges Diane to test the “purity” of her own ancestry through a DNA test. What was meant as a simple provocation ends up opening a Pandora’s box and shaking a number of firmly held convictions.
The play is driven by a particularly effective comic mechanism. From the announcement of a marriage and a simple DNA test, revelation follows revelation, constantly reshuffling the roles. Those who viewed other people’s origins with suspicion discover that their own family history is far less straightforward than they had imagined. And Karim himself, who thought he could teach his future in-laws a lesson, eventually finds himself caught in his own trap.
Beneath the conventions of boulevard comedy and the misunderstandings surrounding identity, the play nevertheless raises a genuine question: what is it that makes a family? The most moving answer comes, paradoxically, from Édouard, the character who initially appears most attached to genealogy and the continuity of a bloodline. He reveals that he has always known Diane was not his biological daughter, yet has never regarded her as anything other than his daughter. Family ties then appear to be less a matter of chromosomes than a story of love, choice and what we pass on.
The play thus takes its blurring of identities to its logical conclusion: French, Arab, Catholic, Muslim or Jewish, every identity that seemed firmly established turns out to be more uncertain or more mixed than it first appeared. And when Diane finally announces that she is expecting a child, the question of origins gives way to that of the future. After spending the entire play trying to work out where they come from, the characters may finally understand that what really matters is deciding what they want to pass on.
Translation by the author
This version has been written for 3 man and 3 women but several roles can be played by men or women. Other possible castings for this play include: 5M/1W, 4M/2W, 3M/3W, 2M/4W, 1M/5W
As the presidential election approaches, a party plummeting in the polls selects a designated fool to represent them, taking on the responsibility for the impending disaster. Simultaneously, they secretly promote an outsider candidate for their supporters to rally behind after their victory. However, the fool turns out to be unpredictable… and so do the voters.
This text is available to read for free. However, an authorization is required from the author prior to any public performance, whether by professional or amateur companies. To get in touch with Jean-Pierre Martinez and ask an authorization to represent one of his works CONTACT FORM
| DOWNLOAD PDF FOR FREE 6 actors/actresses |
DOWNLOAD PDF FOR FREE 5 actors/actresses |
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The song from the play. Lyrics and music Jean-Pierre Martinez. This song may be used as part of a stage production, simple request to the author and without any additional fees. The audio file is available upon request, subject to prior authorization from the author for the use of the play’s text.
