La Mort Heureuse

First stage adaptation of Albert Camus' first novel before L'Etranger.

A Happy Death, 1st adaptation of the Albert Camus' novel, by Stéphane Olivié Bisson

"La Mort Heureuse" (A Happy Death), Albert Camus's first novel, written at twenty-three years old, before "L'Étranger" (The Stranger), and published after his death, is a formidable work of youth, adapted for the theatre for the first time.

A Novel as a War Play
This cruel fable, where the pursuit of money takes the place of fate, possesses incredible contemporaneity and theatricality. The impressive beauty of young Albert Camus's language immediately plunges us into the heart of a man's mystery.
Mersault seeks happiness. This strange story opens on a spring morning in Algiers with a premeditated murder disguised as a suicide at the request of the victim himself. What follows is the reminiscence of his life before, wandering in Europe, and the return to Algiers.

A Protean Actor for Theatre of Wandering
The challenge of this performance is to successfully compose a sense of wandering. A multitude of places follow one another, a cascade of beings are encountered, and yet there is only one body standing before the audience on stage. Richard Sammel admirably carries the play, thanks to his technical and poetic flexibility. A multifaceted actor, an acrobat of narrative capable of suggesting, with a gesture, an inflection of voice, the impression left by a space or a face, he is the very embodiment of Mersault, inhabiting the role with impressive depth and complexity.

Richard Sammel is one of the favorite actors of Quentin Tarantino, Guillermo del Toro, and Michel Hazanavicius, whom we encounter in "Inglourious Basterds," "Un village français" (A French Village), "OSS 117," among others. He adapts to different genres thanks to a striking physical presence, an exceptional ability to embody characters, and a wide emotional range, but above all with passion and total conviction for each project. "'La Mort Heureuse' has been in my head since I first read it. This story obsesses me."

The "Camusian" Director: Stéphane Olivié Bisson
After "Caligula" and "Les Carnets d'Albert Camus" (Albert Camus's Notebooks), Stéphane Olivié Bisson continues his exploration of Camus's work by tackling this time a theatrical dream: to travel from country to country with the same show and the same performer, changing the language according to the host country.
Stéphane maintains a close relationship with Catherine Camus, daughter and universal legatee of her father's work. Over the years and projects, a trusting and collaborative relationship has developed, giving the director ample freedom to work.