Jake Mace
Content Warning: Discussion of Sexual Violence
Nina-Lou Bricard from Novem Ensemble will be performing her one-woman burlesque show experience The Waiting tonight – following a French posh girl and ex supermodel who just ran away from her wedding into a rustic pub to reminisce about the past and avoid ruminating about the future. We caught up with Nina-Lou for a pixelated pint to find out more about what inspired the piece and what the audience can expect.
You can catch The Waiting as part of Voila! Theatre Festival in London at the Etcetera Theatre tonight Saturday November 8th from 5pm, Sunday November 9th from 3pm, and Sunday 16th November from 5pm (30mins). Tickets (£10 / £8 conc.) are available through the Voila! Theatre Festival Online Box Office.
Jake: Hi Nina-Lou, your upcoming Voila Theatre Festival show follows a character called Maeva in an unusual set of circumstances on her wedding day – tell us about her as a character and what inspired the show.
Nina-Lou: Hi Jake, Maeva is one of a kind! People describe her as the “French posh brat” of London apparently, but don’t tell her, we never know what she could do next. Very spontaneous, she likes making decisions “for the plot”, that is how she started to model in Paris at only 16 and also why she decided to run away from her wedding. She will tell you the maddest stories after a bottle of Chardonnay.
Maeva knows how to read a room and adapt like a chameleon to get what she wants. No matter what it takes. Putting on a persona 24/7, nailing playing within the pretty French girl box that men love to put her into, we could call her manipulative. She is unhinged and couldn’t care less about other people’s opinions. At least… That is what she wants you to believe. At the end of the day, she is just another victim of the patriarch, who has shaped her life towards the male gaze.
Jake: How has the creative process been of putting the show together – give us an idea of the journey you’ve been on with it so far.
Nina-Lou: With Daisy Roe, the director, I have been working on this one-woman show for 4 festivals, 4 different versions, 4 experimentations in front of a public from 15 to 70 years old ! This process has been so rewarding in terms of trying new things, being bold, tweaking the text between the 2 main languages of the character (French and English). I started off alone, with a script in hand, in need of a director, a fresh eye. Daisy is from the year below me at East15 and after seeing her a couple of times on stage, my gut told me that she would be the perfect fit for it.
And I could not be more pleased to have had the chance to get to know her as a person and a director. Daisy brings playfulness to The Waiting, giving us the chance to laugh while shining a light on the subject of sexual violence on stage. The Waiting brings up how denial for this woman is her way to survive a world dominated by men.
Jake: What will be the first thing the audience sees, feels, and hears as they enter the space?
Nina-Lou: a French/English music playlist is playing, and they will hear the stomps of Maeva’s heels running into this pub.
Jake: What are you hoping the audience might take away from the experience, if anything?
Nina-Lou: Hopefully they will have a great time! From the feedback that we collected so far, The Waiting is a show that hits. A pure « slap in the face, for the best » according to previous audience members. It lasts in the minds and makes us reflect on the hidden wounds that women carry on a daily basis. But still, it is also very witty and hilarious!
Jake: With Voila Festival 2025 just around the corner, what are you most excited for?
Nina-Lou: I am excited to discover other multilingual shows, Voilà! It’s been the greatest opportunity I have experienced, fully embracing and blending together my two main languages without playing with the usual clichés that we know about French people.
Jake: Given the themes of Binge Fringe, if your show was a beverage of any kind (alcoholic, non-alcoholic – be as creative as you like!), what would it be and why?
Nina-Lou: Definitely a Dirty Diet Martini! It is Maeva’s favorite drink as she shared it with Jean-Paul Gaultier. Back in the days, she was his muse on the runways. Oh, the good old days!
A reminder, you can catch The Waiting as part of Voila! Theatre Festival in London at the Etcetera Theatre tonight Saturday November 8th from 5pm, Sunday November 9th from 3pm, and Sunday 16th November from 5pm (30mins). Tickets (£10 / £8 conc.) are available through the Voila! Theatre Festival Online Box Office.
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