Caroline Guiela Nguyen, artistic director of the Théâtre National de Strasbourg and previous guest at the Romaeuropa Festival with her unforgettable Saigon, presents her new creation: Valentina. The core of the show revolves around a discovery that will change everything: a letter written in French by a doctor to Valentina’s mother, a Romanian woman who doesn’t speak the language. The letter must be translated, and Valentina finds herself having to pronounce a difficult truth, news that could shatter their world. In Valentina, the relationship between truth and lies is at the center of the narrative: truth can be revealed, concealed, desired, or suppressed. Caroline Guiela Nguyen works with the Romanian community in Strasbourg, both professional and non-professional actors, to bring to life a modern-day fairytale in which the themes of translation and cultural mediation intertwine with a reflection on the power of words and silences, on the strength of the stories we tell and the truths we choose to hide.
Caroline Guiela Nguyen is a talented director and playwright, as well as the artistic director of the Théâtre National de Strasbourg. She is the founder of the company Les Hommes Approximatifs and has created significant works such as Se souvenir de Violetta and Saigon, which explore themes of immigration, memory, and identity. Her theatrical research is characterized by the inclusion of marginalized voices and the creation of collective narratives that reflect contemporary social issues. She has collaborated with the Maison Centrale d’Arles, creating works with incarcerated actors. With her innovative approach, she also ventured into cinema with Les Engloutis (2020). In 2023, she became the director of the TNS, promoting a project that integrates theater with cinema and audiovisual arts, making theater a space for hospitality, reflection, and cultural exchange. Her recent projects include LacrimA, an exploration of fashion and cultural traditions, and Valentina, set to debut in 2025.
Creation – TnS production
Valentina
Performance in French and Romanian
Text and direction Caroline Guiela Nguyen
With
Chloé Catrin
Loredana Iancu
Marius Stoian
Paul Guta
Angelina Iancu and Cara Parvu (alternating)
Assistant director Iris Baldoureaux-Fredon, Amélie Énon
Dramaturgie Juliette Alexandre
Scénographie Alice Duchange
Vidéo Jérémie Scheidler
Lumière Mathilde Chamoux
Son Quentin Dumay
Musique Teddy Gauliat-Pitois
Maquillage Émilie Vuez
Avec l’accompagnement du Centre des Récits du TnS
Les décors sont réalisés par les ateliers du TnS
Production Théâtre national de Strasbourg
Coproduction Piccolo Teatro di Milano – Teatro d’Europa ; Théâtre de l’Union, Centre dramatique national du Limousin
First performance on 23 April 2025, as part of the Galas of the Théâtre national de Strasbourg
Preview at the FIND Festival – Schaubühne, Berlin on 9 and 10 April 2025
Text published by Actes Sud
