Even yesterday, omnipresent in his city of Avignon, André Benedetto provoked the festival-goers with «Rigoberta sets sail».
Faithful to himself and to his militant and anti-conventional reputation, despite the years and notoriety, companion of Jean Vilar and Gabriel Monnet, this terrible child of theatrical decentralization had taken flight in 1966, on the sidelines of the official festival, creating its own festival: the «Off». All the troops who have since joined the «Off», are therefore indebted to him for this founding gesture.
Director of troupe and theatre (the Théâtre des Carmes), director, actor, playwright, he advanced with great provocations that have become historic: «the classics at the post», «culture at the throat», but especially through a hundred plays and texts, all marked by his revolt: “Napalm” in 1966, “The World is here, Mandela”, “Rosa Lux”, “The Madonna of Garbage”…
It was a fertile revolt, a great voice in the history of theatre. The Avignonnais, his friends, liked it, but also the spectators from all over France.
André Benedetto’s steps and voice will resonate for a long time in this City of the Popes that he had made his own since he was born in the Theatre.