Children of the Sun - Theatre

Show & Culture

After Anton Chekhov’s Ivanov (25 • 26), Myriam Muller, associate artist of the Théâtres de la Ville, is directing Maxime Gorky’s The Children of the Sun this season, adapting it to explore today’s social debates. The play centres on the idealistic scientist Protassov, who is devoted to a visionary project: transcending the limits of humanity in order to establish a new society. Mired in his experiments and theoretical discussions with his artist and scientist friends, he remains deaf to the echoes of revolt and to the cholera epidemic hitting the city. Written by the author while he was in prison during the 1905 Russian Revolution, this play explores, not without humour, the question of the role of intellectuals and our collective responsibilities in the face of societal crises. Surrounded by her loyal collaborators, Myriam Muller transposes it to a shared artists’ flat in an undefined large city shaken by a popular revolt. The protagonists reflect, seethe and tear each other apart while talking about art and politics, but they remain disconnected from the social reality of the streets.