Venue of the Month: The French Institute

The Institut Francais d'Ecosse is more than just a Fringe venue and a cultural outpost for Scottish Francophiles. This March they're playing host to two very special plays

Feature by Eric Karoulla and Jack Booth | 18 Mar 2013

Nestled away in Randolph Crescent, to the north of Princes Street, Institut Francais d' Ecosse has built a reputation as a venue for intriguing theatre during the Fringe, alongside its more familiar activities promoting French language and culture throughout the year. March sees two productions come to the Institut: a version of Cocteau's challenging monologue, La Voix Humaine and a show which Institut director Vincent Guerin calls "what Francophonie is all about: an Italian play translated in French and performed by a Belgian company in Scotland!"

Programming plays outside of the Fringe complements the ongoing exhibitions, film nights and classes that have made the Institut an important fixture. "Our experience in the Fringe shows that there is quite a large space for French theatre in Edinburgh and that the Institut Francais is well identified as the place to see it," says Guerin. "So why be shy? In August we will have again a strong and very varied programme of French theatre for the Fringe. And we are really excited about it."

"As there are not many occasions to see some live performances in French outside the summer season, we thought it would be worth giving the traditional ‘Semaine de la Francophonie’ in March a theatre twist," he continues. France has a rich theatrical tradition, going back to Moliere's satirical comedies and through the growth of buffonery, mime and clowning in the twentieth century. "A lot of new companies are emerging and staging new productions every year. It is only normal that we showcase this vitality. It is essential for us to make sure the Edinburgh audience gets many occasions to discover French theatre as possible."

Guerin is enthusiastic about the two selections, both aesthetically and for their practical use. " La Voix Humaine is a beautiful and intense monologue about the end of a love story yet it is ideal for French learners as the script is simple and the language easily accessible," he explains. "As for Novecento: Pianiste: the young artists of the collective Emmanuel De Candido and Pierre Solot are offering a very creative take on this versatile story that is not really a play, not really a novel, not really a musical show…  I am quite fond of their narrator/pianist duo and I think it works really well on our small but very welcoming stage."

The Institut's dual purpose in staging these plays - to present the cream of Francophone theatre and to encourage learning of the language demonstrate how performance can be more than just entertainment. Guerin's Fringe programme suggested that French theatre is lively, experimental and accessible: since the venue also contains one of the finest bistro in Edinburgh, these bookings are a reminder that France's pride in its culture is more than justified.

La Voix Humaine, performed by Theatre du Matin on 19 March, 6.30pm Novecento: Pianiste, performed by Collectif Blauw (Belgium) on 20 March, 6.30pm http://www.ifecosse.org.uk