The La Bâtie-Festival de Genève will present a compelling solo performance titled "After the silence [conversation avec Vivian Maier]" from August 29 to September 7. The production features actress and dancer Clémentine Le Bas in a performance directed by Delphine Hecquet, exploring the enigmatic life of American photographer Vivian Maier.

The show is an adaptation of part of Guillaume Poix's text "Tout entière" (Entirely), which is dedicated to the American photographer Vivian Maier. Maier (1926-2009), now considered a photographic genius, lived much of her life in poverty before dying in anonymity. Her life remains a mystery to this day. Working as a children's nanny for forty years, Vivian Maier produced more than 150,000 photographs that were only developed after her death.

Maier's vast body of work captures stolen moments in the streets of New York and Chicago. Her photographs document an era and its political and social transformations, providing a unique window into mid-20th century American urban life. The discovery of her work posthumously has made her one of the most celebrated street photographers in history.

Writer Guillaume Poix drew inspiration from Vivian Maier's story for his 2017 book "Tout entière." This text partially inspired director Delphine Hecquet to create her theatrical piece, which is a co-production between La Bâtie-Festival de Genève and les Scènes du Grütli. For this solo performance, described as an intimate journey and conversation with Vivian Maier, Hecquet chose dancer and actress Clémentine Le Bas to embody "entirely" this woman and her mysteries.

"I wasn't familiar with [Delphine Hecquet's] work, but I felt there was an artistic space that attracted me. I had this feeling that it could work well. Artistically, it intrigued me and I thought it could lead to something quite good," actress Clémentine Le Bas explained in an interview on August 26.

"After the silence" invites audiences to witness the final half-hour of a theatrical rehearsal where Claire (played by Clémentine Le Bas), a young actress, hopes to give voice to Vivian Maier, construct a fiction with her, and grasp what happens after silence. The performance draws from part of Guillaume Poix's text but also incorporates improvisation. Le Bas faces the challenge of interpreting two roles simultaneously.

"I would say it's through voice and body, and by trusting the imagination, that from the actress who is on stage [emerges] Vivian Maier," Le Bas emphasizes. The dual performance requires her to seamlessly transition between her own character as the actress Claire and the mysterious photographer she seeks to embody.

Delphine Hecquet's show is part of La Bâtie's SIX/SIX project, in which six young performers - two from the world of dance and four from theater - choose their partners (choreographer or director) to create a solo piece. These selected works allow for the renewal of scenic writing and place the performer at the heart of creation, celebrating transmission, trust, and the momentum of emerging artists.

The performance "After the silence" will be presented following the show "Fanfaron" by Thibault Lac, featuring Collin Cabanis. The La Bâtie-Festival de Genève runs from August 28 to September 14, 2025, offering audiences a diverse program of contemporary performances that push the boundaries of theatrical and dance expression.