Marseille's Grenfell Moment Lays Bare City's Deep-Seated Issues in Powerful Play
A devastating event in France has left an indelible mark on the city of Marseille, with a recent play shedding light on the catastrophic collapse of two dilapidated houses that killed eight people on November 5th, 2018. The tragedy, known as France's Grenfell moment, exposed the dark underbelly of urban inequality and social deprivation that had long been ignored.
Playwright and director Mathilde Aurier's play, 65 Rue d'Aubagne, is a powerful exploration of trauma, solidarity, and resilience in the face of catastrophic failure. Anchored in the experiences of Nina, a fictional resident of the building, the play delves into the chaotic aftermath of the disaster, including evacuations of over 4,000 people living in similarly rundown lodgings.
Aurier's approach is characterized by fragmentation, mirroring the collapse of the housing units and the collapse of the system. The play navigates different perspectives and timeframes, divided into five sections that evoke the turmoil of the event. Aurier has cited British playwright Howard Barker's "theatre of catastrophe" as an unlikely lodestar for her exploration, recognizing in his work a shared concern with power dynamics, violence, and patriarchy.
As she reflects on her creative process, Aurier reveals that the play was born from a chance encounter with a survivor who conveyed her own sense of psychological trauma. The playwright's experience as a woman also informs her approach to storytelling, underscoring the importance of representation and amplifying marginalized voices.
While the play has already sparked significant public response, its impact is tempered by the inadequate response to the disaster. Aurier notes that the court trial following her play's completion yielded weak fines for those responsible, while many received light prison terms under house arrest. The national and regional schemes to assess Marseille's housing stock have been deployed too slowly to address the widening social divide in the city.
As France prepares to elect its new mayor in March, Aurier acknowledges that housing has become a secondary concern. Her play serves as a powerful reminder of the devastating consequences of neglecting urban issues, leaving her feeling like a "tragic author" until the end.
Through 65 Rue d'Aubagne, Mathilde Aurier shines a light on the long-overlooked stories of a city in crisis, refusing to let its residents disappear into the shadows.
A devastating event in France has left an indelible mark on the city of Marseille, with a recent play shedding light on the catastrophic collapse of two dilapidated houses that killed eight people on November 5th, 2018. The tragedy, known as France's Grenfell moment, exposed the dark underbelly of urban inequality and social deprivation that had long been ignored.
Playwright and director Mathilde Aurier's play, 65 Rue d'Aubagne, is a powerful exploration of trauma, solidarity, and resilience in the face of catastrophic failure. Anchored in the experiences of Nina, a fictional resident of the building, the play delves into the chaotic aftermath of the disaster, including evacuations of over 4,000 people living in similarly rundown lodgings.
Aurier's approach is characterized by fragmentation, mirroring the collapse of the housing units and the collapse of the system. The play navigates different perspectives and timeframes, divided into five sections that evoke the turmoil of the event. Aurier has cited British playwright Howard Barker's "theatre of catastrophe" as an unlikely lodestar for her exploration, recognizing in his work a shared concern with power dynamics, violence, and patriarchy.
As she reflects on her creative process, Aurier reveals that the play was born from a chance encounter with a survivor who conveyed her own sense of psychological trauma. The playwright's experience as a woman also informs her approach to storytelling, underscoring the importance of representation and amplifying marginalized voices.
While the play has already sparked significant public response, its impact is tempered by the inadequate response to the disaster. Aurier notes that the court trial following her play's completion yielded weak fines for those responsible, while many received light prison terms under house arrest. The national and regional schemes to assess Marseille's housing stock have been deployed too slowly to address the widening social divide in the city.
As France prepares to elect its new mayor in March, Aurier acknowledges that housing has become a secondary concern. Her play serves as a powerful reminder of the devastating consequences of neglecting urban issues, leaving her feeling like a "tragic author" until the end.
Through 65 Rue d'Aubagne, Mathilde Aurier shines a light on the long-overlooked stories of a city in crisis, refusing to let its residents disappear into the shadows.
. I mean, 65 Rue d'Aubagne is all well and good, but it's just a bunch of words on paper, right? What can we really do about the deep-seated issues in Marseille's housing stock? The fact that the play's author had to base her story on a survivor's account because nobody else was willing to listen just highlights how messed up things are 
. And don't even get me started on the weak fines handed out to those responsible... like, what's the point of even having a trial if it's just gonna be a joke? 
I swear, it's always the same story: tragedy happens, people feel bad for a hot second, and then they move on with their lives. Meanwhile, the city's still got its problems, and nobody's really doing anything to fix them 
and i'm still reeling from it. like, france has been talking about fixing their housing issues for years but meanwhile these people were living in horror conditions and 8 lost their lives. how can we just move on from that? 
the playwright did an amazing job of capturing the trauma and solidarity of the community. and honestly, it feels like they're still not doing enough to address the root causes of social deprivation. what's up with the weak fines for those responsible tho? 
The fact that the court trial was so weak is just ridiculous. And yeah, I feel like Mathilde Aurier's play is a game-changer - it's bringing all these issues to light and making people talk about them 
. We need more plays like this, not just for Marseille but for cities everywhere that are struggling with similar problems. It's time to take action and make some real change 
Marseille's Grenfell moment is a wake-up call for France, and it's not just about the tragic event itself, but what led up to it. It's like, you know when you're browsing through old pics of your childhood neighborhood on Facebook and it looks so different from what it was back then? That's basically what happened in Marseille - gentrification pushed out the older crowd, leaving behind a generation of people struggling to make ends meet.
i feel so angry on behalf of these ppl who have been suffering in silence. anyway i think this play is a must see & it's giving me so much food for thought on how we can work together as a society to make our cities better places to live 
It's heartbreaking to see how many people still struggle with housing and social deprivation, but it's also super inspiring to see a playwright like Mathilde Aurier shine a light on these stories. I mean, we need more voices like hers who are willing to tackle tough topics and amplify marginalized communities... 
The fact that the play is sparking public response, but the inadequate response from authorities is still really disappointing 
. We need real change, you know? Like, why can't they prioritize housing and social welfare like a decent society should? It's got to be more than just a play or a court trial 
I mean, I get it, they're not exactly thrilled about being held accountable, but come on! This play might be raising awareness, but it's also highlighting how system failures can lead to catastrophic consequences. What really worries me is that housing has become a secondary concern in France right now... 
I mean, I get it, we all make mistakes, but shouldn't they've learned from Grenfell in the UK? 
and now Marseille's just living with it... 
. And the fact that the court trial came out so weakly? Unbelievable! 
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It's not rocket science, people! We know we need better housing, we need more support. This play is a reminder that our cities are dying and we need to do something about it. 
It's just not enough.
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. It's like the issue was always seen as someone else's problem, not the city's responsibility 
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. It's like it's saying, "Hey, look at all the ways this disaster was prevented or exacerbated because of systemic failures." And I think that's what's so powerful about Aurier's approach - she's not just telling a story, she's pointing out the fault lines in our society and daring us to confront them 
.
. So, let's keep shining a light on these issues and demanding action from our leaders! 
. I mean, think about it, the Grenfell moment was already super devastating, and for France to still be dealing with these problems? It's just, wow 
. And Aurier's approach is genius - fragmentation is a perfect way to show how everything fell apart 
. And let's not forget about the timing - this play is coming out just as France is getting ready for a new mayor, and that's perfect timing 
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. It's a raw and emotional experience that'll leave you feeling all the feels 
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. We should be having these conversations about housing and social issues in our cities, not just ignoring them 
I mean, we know the system's messed up, but c'mon, France! You can do better than this 
! The way Mathilde Aurier weaves together the story of Nina and her community is pure poetry 
. It's all just so... frustrating 
and I hope Aurier's play gets the attention it deserves before March's mayoral election rolls around 