“Naïs” by Marcel Pagnol adapted for the Lucernaire theater in Paris

Two impossible loves: Toine, a hunchbacked valet, secretly loves the sharecropper's daughter, the beautiful Naïs who herself burns with love for Frédéric, the wealthy son of the owner of the farm. Physical disability, family tyranny and social barriers plant the seeds of the drama that plays out. Nothing cutesy or old-fashioned in this double story of thwarted passions, inspired by a short story by Émile Zola and adapted for the cinema by Marcel Pagnol. Carried by a superb language and a troupe of talented young actors, this poetic and rural fable catches the viewer in its net from the first scenes. As we celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the death of the Provençal artist, the humanity of his message, the freshness and the power of feelings remain intact. A very pretty piece to see with the family this summer, in Paris or Avignon.

Our opinion: PPP