Gran Mama: A show done beautifully by children of the locality

Our youngsters are filled with talent! This is definitely what the spectators of the play “Gran Mama” thought on December 2 at L’Aventure du Sucre… Let’s relieve this beautiful evening together. Grand Mama is the story of the encounter between the young Malo and the one everyone calls “Gran Mama”. Living at the foot of the Pieter Both, this old woman is said to be a wicked witch… She is a source of fear for the villagers, but not for Malo: one day, his curiosity prevails, and he decides to go meet her… An encounter that will change his life forever!

Local youth in the spotlight

This play, inspired by a comic book and adapted by Pierre-Louis Paillusseau of PLP Théâtre Académie, has seduced the audience. Bringing together a troupe of young actors and with the musical accompaniment of a quartet led by Sébastien Margéot, three performances have been carried out. Driven by the desire to create a space for art, Pierre-Louis Paillusseau has partnered with Terra Foundation to find young actors in the region. In total, 9 young people aged 12 to 16, affiliated with the associations Comité Quartier Cité de Pamplemousses, Caritas Pamplemousses and Association de Développement de Pamplemousses, answered the call.

For this play, the teenagers rehearsed rigorously throughout the year. They have been taking the PLP Académie theater classes since 2021 at the Creative Park in Beau Plan, and their pace of work has accelerated significantly since the November break: the troupe has met no less than three times a week, from 3 pm to 9 pm, to learn the texts, master the direction and bring this play to life! The music for the piece was entirely created by Sébastien Margéot, who was inspired by traditional Mauritian melodies.

A wonderful performance

On December 2, the big premiere of Gran Mama was held. The first part of an evening “Manz pistas, get sinema”, held in partnership with the IFM at the restaurant Le Fangourin in L’Aventure du Sucre, the performance took place in front of several guests, including the parents of the actors. The parents in the room were able to proudly discover their child’s talent, and the young actors enjoyed a celebratory dinner after the performance, sponsored by Terra Foundation.

Following this evening, we asked Marie Annick, representative of the Terra Foundation, how they felt. She summed it up in 2 words: stage fright and emotion! The actors thank Pierre-Louis for his patience and perseverance, and still cannot believe that they were able to play in front of a big audience. This experience allowed some to overcome their timid side, others to recognize the value of effort… I think it’s a great experience that they will remember for a long time.”