Salomé Villiers plays the role of Sylvia in Le Jeu de l'Amour et du Hasard (Marivaux), currently at the Théâtre Michel. She is also the director and instigator of the project, which started several years ago.
Salomé Villiers met Marivaux like many of us: at school, and not really with enthusiasm. Lack of pot, or game of chance (hehe), she will find herself confronted again and again. Same room, framework that evolves but remains academic (high school, conservatory). So, what prompted her to seize this text and stage it today?
She thinks she didn't enjoy the play earlier because it was taught in an intellectualized way. However, Marivaux, "it's a blood game, it's incarnated!" What he likes is as much the substance as the form. Rocked by classical theatre, she appreciates "the incredibly fine, delicate, funny language"; current too. In fact, the subjects treated are timeless: love in itself of course, but also (especially?) manipulation, pride, the desire to be loved for who you really are… The initial idea of not judging on appearance, the good feelings of the beginning do not prevent to hurt in the end.
The actress points out that the third act is in this regard indicative of a great cruelty, especially towards the servants who are made to believe by mocking that they will climb the social ladder, and this until the end … Sylvia's character, "interesting to dissect", is subject to discussion. Is Sylvia cruel? Is it a plague? For Salomé Villiers, Sylvia is cruel, yes, proud, yes, to the end; However, she does not want to hurt. Her first concern is to be loved for herself, not for what she represents. She is also afraid: in the stories, the experiences she has heard, the man does not necessarily have a good role. She is a modern woman, who wants to choose her destiny and wants someone who commits, because the love she will give her cannot be taken back.
The director also sees in her a feminist character, which echoes her choice to tint the room with the colors and music of the 60s. For her, it was a question of finding a music that echoed Marivaux, a liberated and sensual music. She then makes a link between this feminism that she finds in Marivaux to what she calls "revolutionary premises", feminists and humanists.
The adventure of the Jeu de l'Amour et du Hasard began in 2013, and continued until the end of April at the Michel Theatre. She has undergone several changes in the actors (initially another actress played the role of Sylvia), in the texts (some cuts were made), in the places (Côté Cour, Le Lucernaire, Avignon)… The troupe knew how to keep a tangy freshness that feels good, and that makes us leave with a smile.
