The reason for this protest was a conflict between the recently elected mayor of Castres and the successful French playwright Alexis Michalik.
He announced that the February 2027 performance of his play *Passeport* in Castres had been canceled. The writer and director stated that the decision was made “at the last minute, at the request of recently elected city officials from the RN [National Rally, a French right-wing party].”
Themayor criticized the play
“Passeport” premiered in 2024. The play centers on Issa, a young Eritrean man suffering from amnesia in a refugee camp in northern France, who sets out on a journey to obtain a residence permit.
Florian Azéma, the mayor-elect of Castres, canceled the performance, stating that he had “every right” to do so.
“These decisions were made by the previous majority, and I had complete freedom to review them,” Euronews quoted the mayor as saying.
The mayor criticized the play, which, he said, “promotes illegal migrants and presents a distorted image of the police.”
“I’m not just concerned about ‘Passeport,’” Mishalik wrote. “I’m concerned about all works of art, all artists, and all program curators who may find themselves in the same situation tomorrow.”
The playwright received widespread support, including from Culture Minister Catherine Pégard, who called creative freedom “the cornerstone of our democratic system.”
Although “Passeport” will not be shown in Castres, its long-running run at the Théâtre de la Renaissance in Paris continues, and the theater is even offering a 50 percent discount to people who were born or live in Castres.
