Michu

An unnamed protagonist is the object of constant harassment by his work colleague, Michu, who calls him a pederast, a communist, a Jew, and a Franco-Mason. Michu embodies racist prejudice since he continually harasses his colleague and refuses to get to know him for who he really is. In what seems like an allegory for a post-Shoah world, nothing has changed. The fear of otherness and intolerance still exist. This play is part of the collection The Others (Les Autres)—with Holiday (Les Vacances), Brawl (Rixe), The Redheads (Les Rouquins), and The Gnoufs (Les Gnoufs). All focus on the fear and the threat of otherness.

Format: Short play

Cast Size: 2 or 3 characters (1 woman)

Running Time: 30 minutes

Character breakdown:

Anonymous protagonist
Wife
Chèrie
Michu

Notes:

The play has been adapted several times. Among the most important ones:
1) “Les Autres”: Théâtre de la Grande Ourse show; directed by Jean-Pierre Loriol, Francesco Tardino; costumes by J. L. Pinabel and Christiane Viard. Performance: Bondy (France): Théâtre André-Malraux, 1986-01-09. Edition: Création. Note(s) : Composed of : “Les Vacances-Michu-Rixe-Les Gnoufs”. Mask: France Kadan. Music: Didier Bailly.
2) “Petits formats” directed by Nicolas Moy; music by Blaise Pavie; costumes by Le Jardin des planches; lighting design by Dominique Terrier; with Stéphanie Delanos, Jérémie Chaplain. Performance: Paris (France): Théâtre des Songes (Christina Jouet), 11-28-1998. Publisher: Reprise. Producer(s): Jouet, Christina. Includes: “Michu”; “Rixe”; “Maman revient pauvre orphelin”. The play was presented at Chapelle Saint Louis, Rouen, from April 16 to 28, 1998.
3) “Histoires de ‘on’” directed by Marcel Cuvelier; set and costumes by Jacques Noël; sound by Didier Beaudet; lighting by François-Eric Valentin; with Nicolas Bataille, Yvette Caldas, Stéphanie Chodat,… [et al.] Performance: Paris (France): Théâtre de la Huchette (Jacques Legré), 02-13-2002. Producer(s): Legré, Jacques. Includes: “Michu”, “Un nouveau Job”, “Une vie de ‘on’”, “Job”, “Mystère de Noël et du jour de l’An”, “Sortie de théâtre, un soir de pluie”. Also performed by: Marcel Cuvelier, Claude Petit and Thérèse Quentin. Premiere: Paris (France): Théâtre de la Huchette, 02-13-2002.

Original or Prominent Production:
Théâtre de l'Épée-de-Bois, Paris, 1967. Directed by Frédérique Ruchaud.

Original Language: French

Publisher:

First written in 1965. Avant-Scène Théâtre 543 / June 1974. Second play of a collective work (“Les Autres”: ‘Les vacances’, ‘Michu’, ‘Rixe’, ‘Les Rouquins’, ‘Les Gnoufs’) edited by Actes Sud Papiers, 1985. Also in “Les courtes” Babel N° 159 (Coédition Actes-Sud, Labor, L’Aire, Leméac).

Experience(s) Chronicled: Reactions to the Holocaust | Allegoric or Metaphoric Representations