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An Artistic Initiative to Fill the Gaps in Local History

Having been based in Caen for over thirty years, the Papillon Noir Théâtre (PNT) is embarking on an ambitious project to document and share the memories of LGBTQIA+ struggles in Normandy. This long-term endeavor combines collecting testimonies, creating a book-object, and documentary theatre. The aim is to highlight stories that have long been overlooked. Established in 1991, the company integrates artistic creation with education, focusing on marginalized voices. Today, under the leadership of Alexandre Serrano and Sophie Girard, it is committed to restoring visibility to those whose histories have been erased.

Papillon Noir Théâtre’s work of remembrance is part of a broader history of queer culture in France, where artistic scenes have long served as havens, platforms for expression, and channels for LGBTQIA+ advocacy. Documentary theatre, cabaret, performance, and collective creation have often brought to light ignored narratives. This historical dimension is central to the history of queer cabarets, tracing the vital role of these stages in shaping a queer cultural and political memory.

“Every era has its margins—made invisible, ignored, misunderstood, or simply unknown,” the collective reminds us.

An LGBTQIA+ History Seldom Documented in Normandy

Despite the rich historical heritage of the region, the history of social and political struggles of LGBTQIA+ communities remains largely absent from official archives in Normandy and elsewhere in France. These memories are mostly passed on privately, if not lost completely. Outside of the LGBTQI+ Archives Center established in 2017 in Paris by Act Up, there is currently no public center dedicated to this specific history.

For PNT, the urgency is clear. A significant portion of activists from the 1960s to 1980s are now aging or have been impacted by the AIDS epidemic. The company notes:

“Generally lacking offspring, all these lived experiences are fading from history…”

A Collective Project Rooted Locally

This memory project is a collaborative effort involving Eliot Sévricourt, a psychologist, trainer, and head of the LGBTI Center of Normandy in Caen, who initiated the idea. It also includes artist-writer Aurélie Guérinet and writer Zadig Hamroune, reinforcing its artistic and activist foundation.

For the company, it is both an artistic act and a political gesture:

“To artistically engage with topics such as queer culture or LGBTQI+ issues is inherently a political endeavor,” the team asserts, condemning the rise of “far-right, virulent, even violent ideologies”.
In this context, theatre becomes a tool of resistance, a space where collective voice and social reflection are expressed.

Call for Testimonies for a Shared Memory

The project will unfold over two years in two phases. The first phase is dedicated to collecting testimonies from LGBTQIA+ individuals who have experienced or observed local struggles, especially around Caen.

An appeal is made:

“We are indeed seeking testimonies. In this regard, aside from our own contacts, all conduits are welcome: calls for testimonies, activist networks, associations, word of mouth…,” says Sophie Girard.

The interviews, following a framework designed by Eliot Sévricourt, will be video recorded, transcribed, and compiled into a book-object, designed as a memory transmission tool.

From Personal Narration to Engaged Theatre

In the second phase, these stories will inspire the creation of a theatrical piece by Zadig Hamroune. The production will blend documentary theatre with poetic fictional storytelling, aiming to translate these lived experiences into theatrical material.

The goal is to give voice to a collective history, spotlight the reality of a social and political struggle in constant motion, and invite the Normandy audience to rethink the margins of its history.

PNT – Le Lieu: A Queer Space in Caen

This project is part of a broader ambition to make PNT – Le Lieu a reference space for queer culture in Normandy.

“Queer culture in Normandy is very rich, but few venues are willing or technically able to host spectacular forms, like drag shows for instance,” Sophie Girard points out.

On March 27 and 28, two “Party Night Trouble” evenings will embody this dynamic with lectures, performances, drag shows, a committed bookstore, food truck, and bar, in partnership with the Collectif Machin-e and the LGBTI Center of Normandy (at 33 route de Trouville).

Through this initiative, Papillon Noir Théâtre reaffirms its commitment: to preserve the memory of local LGBTQIA+ struggles, illuminate the present, and make theatre a vehicle for visibility, transmission, and resistance, in Caen and throughout the region.

🔗 Company’s Official Website
📄 Project Dossier (PDF)

Through this artistic endeavor, Papillon Noir Theatre reminds us that queer culture is more than just nightlife or celebration; it is embedded in a continuum of creation, resistance, and transmission. From historic cabarets to contemporary forms of activist theatre, these spaces have shaped a vibrant and diverse culture. For a deeper understanding of this richness and to explore the links between memory, artistic stage, and LGBTQIA+ visibility, the Guide to LGBT and Queer Cabarets in France offers a comprehensive overview of the venues, figures, and legacies that make up this collective history.

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