Thomas Quillardet En addicto

Alone onstage, Thomas Quillardet unravels the stories of patients he encountered during an artistic residency in a hospital. He assembles a polyphony of voices in order to share in his empathy and create a radiography of what links us together.

The origins of this piece, written, directed and performed by Thomas Quillardet, stem from the experience of an immersion period in a hospital addiction unit. Lasting six months, this residency, made possible by the Festival d’Automne within the framework of its 'Assistance publique – Hôpitaux de Paris et de l'alliance Culture-Santé' partnership, was not only rich in encounters but also provided a means of reconnecting with the tools of theatre, in their simplest form of expression. For patients whom any notions of self-esteem have long since deserted them, the mere fact of moving about, affirming their presence, and casting their gaze are just some of the exercises which can help restore it. Thomas Quillardet uses this same simplicity, void of the artifices of staging, in order to relate his experiences. What form of spoken word circulates in this encounter between individuals trying to wean themselves off their various forms of addiction, over-worked hospital staff and a theatre director? In a polyphony of voices, carried along by a finely-tuned sense of rhythm, En addicto unravels stories and life histories, as well as moments of joy and emptiness. It also examines, in a documentary-style way, the institution of the hospital itself, addiction and its treatment. The same question arises: how can we ease pain?