Julien Gosselin‘s ‘Museo Duras‘ Challenges Audiences with Ten-Hour Theatrical Immersion
A radical new production of the works of Marguerite Duras is pushing the boundaries of theatrical experience, demanding audiences commit up to ten hours to a “total spectacle” at the Berthier Workshops at the Odeón Theater in Paris.
The production, titled ‘Museo Duras,’ launched in November 2025, is the brainchild of French director Julien Gosselin, and represents a resounding exhibition of the work of the influential French writer, Marguerite Duras (1914-1996). Duras was a multifaceted artist, excelling as a novelist, playwright, and film director, and maintaining a significant, though ultimately fractured, involvement in politics – initially joining, and later being expelled from, the French Communist party.
Gosselin’s staging aims to encompass the breadth of Duras’s artistic output. He has constructed eleven distinct “paintings,” each lasting approximately an hour, and drawing inspiration from various facets of her prolific career. The sheer duration of the experience – divisible into five two-hour segments or a full ten-hour commitment – is a deliberate challenge to both performers and viewers.
Though, the production’s success hinges on the extraordinary talent of the students from the 2025 class of the National Superior Conservatory of Dramatic Art. In an era often characterized by a perceived decline in rigorous artistic training, the performance showcases the power of disciplined study. “They know how to speak,they control their body,they have the concentration and energy necesary for a demanding experience,” one observer noted.This level of skill, it is indeed argued, is not simply innate, but the result of dedicated effort – a quality increasingly rare in a culture saturated with easily-consumed, frequently enough superficial, online content.
Gosselin’s vision places ‘Museo duras’ within a lineage of ambitious theatrical endeavors. He follows in the footsteps of pioneers like Peter Brook, whose adaptation of the Mahabarata captivated audiences at the Avignon Festival, and Ivo van Hove, who presented a trilogy of Shakespearean Roman plays at the same venue. More recently, Thomas Jolly’s 2022 production – a 24-hour marathon featuring two Shakespearean works – demonstrated a similar commitment to immersive, long-form storytelling.
The director’s approach underscores a belief in the enduring power of theatre as a space for innovation and collaboration between creators and audiences. As one source stated,the theater “continues to be the space for all inventions with proposals that involve creators and the public,the major force of stage activity.” ‘Museo Duras’ is a bold testament to that enduring spirit, and a compelling question is posed to potential attendees: would you dedicate ten hours of your life to this radical theatrical experience?
Why: French director Julien Gosselin created ‘museo Duras’ to offer a comprehensive exploration of Marguerite Duras’s work,challenging conventional theatrical durations and audience engagement.
Who: The production features students from the 2025 class of the National Superior Conservatory of Dramatic art, directed by Julien Gosselin, and focuses on the works of writer Marguerite Duras.
What: ‘Museo Duras’ is a ten-hour theatrical production comprised of eleven one-hour “paintings” inspired by the novels, plays, and films of Marguerite Duras. It premiered in November 2025 at the Berthier Workshops at the Odeón Theatre in Paris.
How did it end?: As of the article’s publication, the production is ongoing. The article frames the production as a question to potential attendees, asking if they would commit ten hours to the experience, implying the “ending” is dependent on audience participation and reception. Ther is no indication of
