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.
[Text and direction] Caroline Guiela Nguyen
[With] Chloé Catrin, Angelina Iancu and Cara Parvu [alternating], Loredana Iancu, Paul Guta and Marius Stoian
[and the voices of] Iris Baldoureaux-Fredon, Adeline Guillot and Cristina Hurler
[Dramaturgy] Juliette Alexandre
[Artistic collaboration] Paola Secret
[Set design] Alice Duchange
[Consultation and interpreting for Romanian] Natalia Zabrian
[Assistant directors] Iris Baldoureaux-Fredon, Amélie Énon, Axelle Masliah
[Music] Teddy Gauliat-Pitois
[Sound] Quentin Dumay
[Lighting] Mathilde Chamoux
[Video] Jérémie Scheidler
[Camera operator] Aurélien Losser
[Costumes] Caroline Guiela Nguyen, Claire Schirck
[Make-up] Émilie Vuez
[Assistant director intern] Noé Canel
[Animated film] Wanqi Gan
[Community actors’ support] Flora Nestour
[Casting] Lola Diane
Production Théâtre national de Strasbourg
Co-production Piccolo Teatro di Milano — Teatro d’Europa, Théâtre de l’Union – Centre dramatique national du Limousin
With the support of the Centre des Récits of the Théâtre national de Strasbourg
Set built by the workshops of the Théâtre national de Strasbourg
With thanks to the association Migrations Santé Alsace and the cardiac surgery and cardiology departments of the Hôpitaux universitaires de Strasbourg, in particular Dr. Patrick Ohlmann.
The tale Valentina or the Truth is published by Actes Sud.
Premiere: April 23, as part of the Galas of the Théâtre national de Strasbourg
Preview: FIND Festival – Schaubühne, Berlin, April 9 and 10, 2025
