Orphelins

FIRST PRIZE FROM THE CLUB DE LA PRESSE - AVIGNON 2025 Orphelins, a new staging by Olivier Sanquer ("Tom à la ferme" - Coup de Coeur Télérama, "Les Feluettes"), hits like a blast full in the face. A brutal shattering of the chamber drama that hurls us into the savagery of the real. True to the In-Yer-Face dogma and to the surgical pen of Dennis Kelly, the stage becomes a visceral and necessary ring.

A couple, Hélène and Daniel, are about to celebrate the imminent arrival of a new child. But then Léo, Hélène's brother, arrives. He is covered in blood. Léo claims he came to the aid of a person who had been attacked. But is he telling the whole truth?

As the thread of this plot unspools, we will confront the unavoidable issues of our societies: does one ever recover from one's childhood? How far would we go to protect our family? What is our relationship with the other? How is that relationship influenced?

With Orphelins, the Nacéo company has sought to adapt Kelly's world to the French context and to the immediate moment, giving these unavoidable themes their full topicality.

In 2025, Orphelins by the Nacéo company was awarded the Coup de Coeur prize of the Club de la Presse, among more than 300 contemporary theatre productions presented at Avignon. Following a sold-out Avignon 2026, the play is being staged in Paris during the 2026-2027 season. Running time: 1h20 Author: Dennis Kelly Publishing credit: The play "Orphelins" by Dennis Kelly (translated by Philippe Le Moine) is published and licensed by L'ARCHE - éditeur & agence théâtrale

The team: Director: Olivier Sanquer Cast: Stan Gal, Laure Extramiana, Antoine Dubois Lighting design and stage management: Rudy Sanguino Production: Nacéo. Co-production: Le 44 Studio Production managers: Axel Arnault, Alexandre Simoens Communications: Soufiane Bencherqui Press: “A truly striking and remarkable performance. A must-see show!” SPECTATIF “Extraordinary.”