Le stage de théâtre
The Theater Workshop
A teenager attends a theater workshop and overcomes stage fright before a small public performance, with the group's support.
- performing arts
- confidence
Tap an underlined word to see its meaning.
What you'll encounter
- Grammar
- passé composé
- futur proche
- quand + present
- Vocabulary
- theater vocabulary
- stage fright and group support vocabulary
- Skills
- following an internal obstacle resolved through group support
- recognizing dialogue that carries encouragement
Pendant les vacances d’été, Maël, quatorze ans, s’inscrit à un stage de théâtre au centre culturel de Nouméa. Sa cousine le convainc de venir, même si Maël n’a jamais joué devant un public.
Show English
During the summer vacation, Maël, fourteen years old, signs up for a theater workshop at the cultural center of Nouméa. His cousin convinces him to come, even though Maël has never acted in front of an audience.
Le stage dure une semaine, avec huit autres adolescents que Maël ne connaît pas. Le premier jour, le professeur, Monsieur Belep, explique que le groupe va présenter une courte pièce, devant les familles, le dernier jour.
Show English
The workshop lasts one week, with eight other teenagers Maël doesn't know. On the first day, the teacher, Monsieur Belep, explains that the group will put on a short play, in front of families, on the last day.
Les autres participants viennent de différents quartiers de Nouméa. Il y a Salomé, qui a déjà fait du théâtre ; des jumeaux, Tom et Milo, toujours prêts à rire ; et une fille plus timide que Maël, qui ne dit presque rien non plus le premier jour.
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The other participants come from different neighborhoods of Nouméa. There's Salomé, who has already done theater; a pair of twins, Tom and Milo, always ready to laugh; and a girl shier than Maël, who barely says anything either on the first day.
Maël adore l’idée du théâtre, mais l’idée de parler devant un public lui serre l’estomac. Il a toujours préféré rester silencieux dans un groupe, jamais devant.
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Maël loves the idea of theater, but the thought of speaking in front of an audience makes his stomach tighten. He has always preferred to stay quiet in a group, never in the front.
Pendant les premiers exercices, chaque adolescent doit se présenter devant les autres, avec un geste drôle. Quand c’est le tour de Maël, sa voix tremble et il oublie sa propre phrase à moitié.
Show English
During the first exercises, each teenager has to introduce themselves in front of the others, with a funny gesture. When it's Maël's turn, his voice shakes and he forgets his own sentence halfway through.
Quelques adolescents rient, pas méchamment, et Maël s’assoit rapidement, le visage rouge. Monsieur Belep remarque son et vient lui parler pendant la pause.
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A few teenagers laugh, not unkindly, and Maël sits down quickly, his face red. Monsieur Belep notices his discomfort and comes to talk to him during the break.
« Tout le monde dans cette salle a déjà ressenti ce que tu viens de ressentir », lui dit-il calmement. « Le secret, ce n’est pas d’arrêter d’avoir peur. C’est de continuer quand même, petit à petit. »
Show English
"Everyone in this room has felt what you just felt," he tells Maël calmly. "The secret isn't to stop being afraid. It's to keep going anyway, little by little."
Les jours suivants, le groupe répète la pièce, une courte comédie sur deux voisins qui se comprennent mal tout le temps. Maël a un petit rôle, avec seulement quelques répliques.
Show English
The following days, the group rehearses the play, a short comedy about two neighbors who constantly misunderstand each other. Maël gets a small role, with only a few lines.
Une fille nommée Salomé, qui a déjà fait du théâtre avant, remarque que Maël répète toujours les yeux baissés. « Regarde-nous quand tu parles », suggère-t-elle. « On ne te juge pas. On t’écoute. »
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A girl named Salomé, who has already done theater before, notices that Maël always rehearses with his eyes down. "Look at us when you talk," she suggests. "We're not judging you. We're listening to you."
Maël essaie, d’abord. Chaque jour, il arrive à lever les yeux un peu plus. Le groupe l’applaudit doucement après chaque répétition, même quand il fait une erreur.
Show English
Maël tries, timidly at first. Each day, he manages to raise his eyes a little more. The group applauds him softly after each rehearsal, even when he makes a mistake.
Deux jours avant la représentation, Maël oublie une entière pendant une répétition. Il se bloque, le cœur battant vite, convaincu que tout le monde va le trouver terrible.
Show English
Two days before the performance, Maël forgets an entire line during a rehearsal. He freezes, his heart racing, convinced that everyone is going to think he's terrible.
Mais Salomé, juste à côté de lui sur la scène, lui souffle discrètement le début de sa phrase pour l’aider à continuer, sans arrêter la scène. Le reste du groupe ne réagit pas du tout.
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But Salomé, right next to him on stage, quietly whispers the beginning of his line to help him continue, without stopping the scene. The rest of the group doesn't react at all.
Après la répétition, Salomé lui dit : « Ça arrive à tout le monde, même aux acteurs professionnels. L’important, c’est que tu as continué. » Maël se sent un peu plus confiant.
Show English
After the rehearsal, Salomé tells him: "That happens to everyone, even professional actors. The important thing is that you kept going." Maël feels a little more confident.
Le soir de la représentation, les mains de Maël sont froides dans les coulisses, mais tout le groupe se rassemble en cercle avant d’entrer sur scène. « On est une équipe », dit Monsieur Belep. « Si quelqu’un oublie quelque chose, on s’aide les uns les autres. »
Show English
On the evening of the performance, Maël's hands are cold backstage, but the whole group gathers in a circle before going on stage. "We're a team," says Monsieur Belep. "If someone forgets something, we help each other."
Pendant la pièce, Maël dit ses répliques clairement, en regardant le public comme Salomé lui a appris. À un moment difficile, il hésite une seconde, mais Salomé, à côté de lui, lui fait un petit signe de tête rassurant, et il continue sans s’arrêter.
Show English
During the play, Maël delivers his lines clearly, looking at the audience as Salomé taught him. At one difficult moment, he hesitates for a second, but Salomé, beside him, gives him a small, reassuring nod, and he continues without stopping.
Le public rit à plusieurs moments de la pièce, surtout pendant une scène où les jumeaux se disputent de façon comique à propos d’un parapluie. Maël sent que le public est avec eux, et ça lui donne encore plus confiance pour la suite.
Show English
The audience laughs at several moments during the play, especially during a scene where the twins comically argue over an umbrella. Maël feels that the audience is with them, and that gives him even more confidence for the rest of the play.
Après les applaudissements, la cousine de Maël le serre dans ses bras, fière. « Tu as été vraiment bon », lui dit-elle. Maël sourit, surpris de comprendre que la peur n’a pas complètement disparu, mais qu’elle ne l’arrête plus.
Show English
After the applause, Maël's cousin hugs him proudly. "You were really good," she tells him. Maël smiles, surprised to realize that the fear hasn't disappeared completely, but that it no longer stops him.
Show full English translation
During the summer vacation, Maël, fourteen years old, signs up for a theater workshop at the cultural center of Nouméa. His cousin convinces him to come, even though Maël has never acted in front of an audience.
The workshop lasts one week, with eight other teenagers Maël doesn't know. On the first day, the teacher, Monsieur Belep, explains that the group will put on a short play, in front of families, on the last day.
The other participants come from different neighborhoods of Nouméa. There's Salomé, who has already done theater; a pair of twins, Tom and Milo, always ready to laugh; and a girl shier than Maël, who barely says anything either on the first day.
Maël loves the idea of theater, but the thought of speaking in front of an audience makes his stomach tighten. He has always preferred to stay quiet in a group, never in the front.
During the first exercises, each teenager has to introduce themselves in front of the others, with a funny gesture. When it's Maël's turn, his voice shakes and he forgets his own sentence halfway through.
A few teenagers laugh, not unkindly, and Maël sits down quickly, his face red. Monsieur Belep notices his discomfort and comes to talk to him during the break.
"Everyone in this room has felt what you just felt," he tells Maël calmly. "The secret isn't to stop being afraid. It's to keep going anyway, little by little."
The following days, the group rehearses the play, a short comedy about two neighbors who constantly misunderstand each other. Maël gets a small role, with only a few lines.
A girl named Salomé, who has already done theater before, notices that Maël always rehearses with his eyes down. "Look at us when you talk," she suggests. "We're not judging you. We're listening to you."
Maël tries, timidly at first. Each day, he manages to raise his eyes a little more. The group applauds him softly after each rehearsal, even when he makes a mistake.
Two days before the performance, Maël forgets an entire line during a rehearsal. He freezes, his heart racing, convinced that everyone is going to think he's terrible.
But Salomé, right next to him on stage, quietly whispers the beginning of his line to help him continue, without stopping the scene. The rest of the group doesn't react at all.
After the rehearsal, Salomé tells him: "That happens to everyone, even professional actors. The important thing is that you kept going." Maël feels a little more confident.
On the evening of the performance, Maël's hands are cold backstage, but the whole group gathers in a circle before going on stage. "We're a team," says Monsieur Belep. "If someone forgets something, we help each other."
During the play, Maël delivers his lines clearly, looking at the audience as Salomé taught him. At one difficult moment, he hesitates for a second, but Salomé, beside him, gives him a small, reassuring nod, and he continues without stopping.
The audience laughs at several moments during the play, especially during a scene where the twins comically argue over an umbrella. Maël feels that the audience is with them, and that gives him even more confidence for the rest of the play.
After the applause, Maël's cousin hugs him proudly. "You were really good," she tells him. Maël smiles, surprised to realize that the fear hasn't disappeared completely, but that it no longer stops him.
Words to know
- malaise
- — discomfort
- timidement
- — timidly
- réplique
- — line