The man alone, face to face with the audience

The public was there on May 13, at place de l’horloge, for a moment of theater and humanity, suspended and moving.

A powerful one-man show, woven from real moments of life, magnified by Fred Guittet's razor-sharp performance. The story? That of Pilo, a homeless man, ready to share his life, from the bench where he fell asleep, between two breaks, between two cities.

More than an hour of shared testimonies in a hoarse, rough voice that captivates the spectators, silent and almost contemplative, just a few meters from the strikingly truthful actor.

A truth built on the testimonies of people met by director Seb Lanz during outreach rounds in the streets of Lyon. A truth reminiscent of the figure of Saint-François d’Assise, notably in Christian Bobin's Le Très Bas, which inspired the theater makers. The latter wanted to magnify this stripping away, which does not prevent philosophy—on the contrary.

ACCIDENT OF LIFE

This life accident is embraced with a fierce determination to bring nobility to a battered existence, to challenge others in their biased projections. A cry from the heart that gives voice to these destitute people too often left on the margins, anonymized, and condemned to silence.

This is how the troupe summarizes it: "This play was born from a benevolent gaze, and you can feel it. No misery-mongering, but a lot of tenderness."

At the end of the performance, Fred Guittet confirms: "As a seeker of testimonies, I was inspired by the nobility of some, like Samir, in Avignon, destitute but very dignified, very elegant. The idea is to convert the ruthless violence of the street into a poetry that recalls the importance of listening, of sitting down together. One hour for a life is little, but it can do a lot."

A SPECIAL FLAVOR

This original proposal is reflected in the very form of the one-man show, conceived as an opportunity for roaming and sharing, mirroring the roaming of the beggars magnified and highlighted in the text.

Homestays, welcoming by local theater companies that take care of finding a venue, free admission—all aspects that continue the lived experience and give it a special flavor.

The desire is to leave a lasting scent, to go beyond the simple perimeter of a one-man show, of a comfortable spectator stance, to spark a lasting reflection.

Pilo's final exit from the stage, abrupt and without warning, gripped the audience, who took a few moments to applaud, as if disconcerted. This emotion was expressed by several of them during the discussion time organized afterwards.

In his street clothes, Fred Guittet was amused by this floating zone, conducive to debates, with the homeless man close by, sometimes just centimeters away, returning as an actor within reach. Same voice, different posture.

A man alone among others, like a call to break solitudes, to extend a hand.