STARMANIA PARIS. 43 years after its creation by Michel Berger and Luc Plamondon, the musical Starmania made its debut at the Seine Musicale in Boulogne-Billancourt, before going on tour in France.
The new version of starmania is, let’s not be afraid of words, sparkling. The cult musical, created by Michel Berger and Luc Plamondon 43 years ago, moved to the Seine Musicale in Boulogne-Billancourt, from November 8. She will then go on tour in the Zeniths of France. For the premiere of the show, an audience of stars attended this 2022 version of the famous rock opera: Brigitte Macron, Line Renaud, Michel Drucker, Vincent Cassel, Clara Luciani, Tony Estanguet, but also Fabienne Thibeault, historic Marie -Jeanne and Luc Plamondon, creator of starmaniareceived a standing ovation as soon as he entered the room.
First performed in 1973, the musical starmania sounds impressive. Between the rise of extremism, embodied by a Zéro Janvier and his Nazi imagination, the reverse of celebrity in the guise of the fallen star in search of renewed popularity Stella Spotlight or the violence of the streets sung by a Johnny Rockfort cruel and merciless (except for Cristal, with whom he falls in love before causing their downfall), the differences in sexuality or gender with the Machiavellian Sadia and Ziggy, David Bowie’s groupie… Everything that made the success of starmania is taken up and magnified by Thomas Jolly, the director of this 2022 version, initiated by Raphaël Hamburger, the son of France Gall and Michel Berger.
With a budget of 7 million euros, starmania, whose debut has been postponed due to the Covid, finishes nailing the viewer to their seat with a dazzling light show by Thomas Dechandon, minimalist sets and this huge star as a monumental central setting. The costumes, created by Nicolas Ghesquière, artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s women’s collections, highlight an impeccable cast (and little known to the general public) and biting choreography by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. All this, accompanied by live musicians, led by composer, producer, arranger and musician Victor le Masne.
The only downsides are necessary: the questionable contribution to the story of the “guru-marabout”, the original character of the show, but deleted in the 1988 and 1993 versions, embodying ecological aspirations faced with a totalitarian Zero Janvier wishing to “build the new atomic world.” The dancers, impressive, would have deserved more light, so that starmania remains totally the musical that it is.
If the story created by Luc Plamondon and Michel Berger remains modern, Thomas Jolly has worked hard not to distort the historical spectacle: the artists sing microphone in hand, but manage to breathe new life into songs (too) often times, like The world is stone, SOS a landowner in distress or Le blues du businessman. But the public, shivering as soon as the innumerable hits of starmaniacan’t help humming, coming out of the spectacle of (black) stars in her eyes.
Practical information
All about starmania in Paris
Johnny Rockfort, Marie-Jeanne, Sadia, Cristal, Ziggy, Zéro Janvier, Stella Spotlight and Roger-Roger are back. The cult musical starmania moved to the gates of Paris, at the Seine Musicale in Boulogne-Billancourt, in the fall of 2022. Forty years after its creation in 1979 by Michel Berger and Luc Plamondon, the futuristic and timeless rock opera has been reinvented by director Thomas Jolly, accompanied by internationally renowned choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Victor le Masne as musical director. The costumes are signed Nicolas Ghesquière, artistic director of women’s collections at Louis Vuitton.
“More than a new version, it’s a return to the original intention of starmaniaits dramaturgy, its tragic dimension that the public will be able to discover”, say the creators of the 2022 version show, postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Spectators will be able to rediscover the hits born from the musical starmaniaas When we come to town, Le Blues du Businessman, The world is stone, Against each other and of course, SOS a landowner in distress.
The cast of starmania
Cristal – Lilya Adad
Johnny Rockfort – Como
Sadia – Manet – Miriam Baghdassarian
Zero January – David Latulippe
Marie-Jeanne – Alex Montembault
Stella Spotlight – Maag (Magali Goblet)
Guru Marabout – Simon Geoffroy
Ziggy – Adrien Fruit
Ensemble / Choristers :
Max Carpentier / Alice Lynn
work-study :
William Cloutier
Ambriel
Jeanne Jerosme
Aurel Fabregues
Nicolas Dorian
Louise Charbonnel
Orchestra :
Romain Théret – Piano
Ann Shirley – Piano
Edouard Algayon – Guitar
Paul Cépède – Guitar
Romain Joutard – Drums
Aurelien Calvel – Bass
The dates of starmania in Paris
The show starmania began with three preview sessions, from November 4 to 6, 2022. Building on the success of the show, on tour throughout France, the show will be back at the Seine Musicale in Boulogne-Billancourt from November 14, 2023 to 28 January 2024.
The ticket office of starmania
The price of tickets for the musical starmaniaat the Seine Musicale in Boulogne-Billancourt or in the Zéniths de France, varies according to the room and between 25 euros for a place in category 4 and 130 euros in the gold category on Saturday evenings.
The story of starmania
starmania takes place in Monopolis, capital of the West. The city and its inhabitants are plagued by the terrible Dark Stars and their leader, Johnny Rockfort, himself subject to the terrible Sadia. For his part, the whimsical billionaire Zéro Janvier nourishes the hopes, from his golden tower, of establishing an authoritarian and racist regime over the West and Monopolis. At the bottom of this tower, Marie-Jeanne serves coffees at the Underground Café and dreams of a better world by following the news bulletins of Roger Roger, who officiates on the Télé-Capitale channel.
The star host of this channel is Cristal: she presents the program starmania, which propels young talents into “one-night stands”. A title dreamed up by Ziggy, a young homosexual record store owner who makes Marie-Jeanne’s head spin. The show, which takes place in 1978, depicts the love stories and manipulations of these characters.