Without really intending to, Rachida Dati caused a stir during her visit to Villeurbanne (Rhône) and Lyon on Friday, October 17th. The Minister of Culture intended to announce the creation of a new structure, bringing together the Théâtre national populaire (TNP) and Pôle Pixel, two major cultural institutions in Villeurbanne—one dedicated to drama, the other housing film studios and digital productions. A “merger,” meant to “develop innovative projects between live performance and new technologies,” according to the initial invitation. The idea: to produce hybrid performances blending text, staging, video, and digital creation, as well as to imagine broadcasts and adaptations of the shows, such as creating a film from a theater play.
The term “merger” immediately alarmed the staff of both institutions, who had not been informed of such a prospect. The mayor of Villeurbanne tried to defuse the situation by speaking privately to the TNP staff before the minister’s arrival. The mayor explained that this idea of “cooperation” between the National Drama Center and Pôle Pixel came from a study commissioned several months ago from a cultural consulting firm, and that a full merger was not on the table.