Our Circle
of Friends

For some people, there exists a concept of before and after the Bouffes du Nord, before and after Peter Brook (and his empty theatre), before and after his Carmen, his Hamlet...and now, his Magic Flute.

For other people, they simply did not know about the Bouffes du Nord theatre. They had a vague idea that this was a theatre, a little different form the others... and that was it.

For myself, it is a precious treasure. It was the first theatre I ever visited. I must have been 7 or 8 and I went to see Hamlet with my dear grandfather, just the two of us. He was blind and knew it all by heart, both the text and the staging, and I was quite simply entranced. Entranced by the place, the scenery, the black actors proclaimingin English (Brook’s accolytes), by the unusual seats and by that mysterious arched roof. This was my first step into a world of the privileged, of those who are able to taste this aesthetic and decode and savour it.

This flavour, this incredible feeling of intelligence that rises up when one encounters Perfection or just Beauty, this is what I wanted to have you all experience when you come to the Bouffes du Nord. The two Oliviers who have taken over the theatre have dared themselves to carry on surprising and entrancing the audience. I have come to support them and have promised to build bridges - bridges between Culture and Capitalism... Even just that ! We will stay free, as we are private, and affordable (rather than saying «for the people» as that means nothing any more) i.e. under 30 euros per ticket. We will stay edgy and creative, perpetuating our creative laboratory approach. All this means finding extra resources in addition to our takings.

It is in the aim of finding funding that we have set up the Circle of Friends, to have you play a part in our project by becoming a sponsor (simply donating) or by becoming a partner (organising performance and dinner evenings, private access to the theatre for seminars, conferences and fashion shows) and co-producing a play (alone or as a group).
Joining the Circle is a militant act in twenty-first century terms... It means allowing this unusual, free and creative venue to continue to exist... It means allowing modern art to keep on progressing. It means guaranteeing that cultures and cultures are maintained in a standardised world...

I strongly feel that we need to fight so that people maintain an open outlook about the future and creativity, and about what does not exist yet but which has to be discovered.

So if I have managed to convince you, please join us with your small or large contribution.

Whatever the contribution, just join us.

Thank you
Fatine Layt

The Bouffes du Nord

Circle of Friends

• We lead social initiatives aimed at new audiences 
both
  within and outside the theatre.
• We support creativity with our concept of co-producing shows.
• We organise events which help publicise
  the theatre and its projects.
• We incite and manage private funding
  (personal and corporate, sponsoring and investment).