Who is Mr. Schmitt?

Director: Davoud Rashidi

Playwright: Sébastien Thiéry

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Project Description

Written in 2009, Who is Mr. Schmitt? received the Molière Award for its piercing examination of identity and power.

The play investigates the gradual collapse of Mr. and Mrs. Gucci’s sense of self—a couple whose identity, private life, and grasp of reality slowly unravel under the pressure of an authoritarian regime. Through darkly ironic and allegorical storytelling, Sébastien Thiéry exposes how modern structures can penetrate even the most intimate layers of individual existence.

Director Davoud Rashidi, rather than creating a surrealist world, employed realistic set design and precise blocking to make the play’s hidden dynamics tangible. Instead of depicting fear or terror directly, he uses subtle humor to expose the contradictions and absurdities of life under a repressive system, making the experience both relatable and thought-provoking.

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My Insights

Working as an actor alongside a team of experienced performers gave me valuable lessons in blending comedy with realism in serious narratives. I learned that genuine humor emerging organically from the rhythms of life can deepen a performance’s emotional resonance and create moments that linger with the audience.

This understanding profoundly shaped my work as a director. In productions such as Whispers Behind the Battle Line, I guided actors in crafting human, tangible experiences where humor serves not only to entertain but also to reveal the deeper complexities and nuances of life, highlighting the human complexity and emotional depth of each scene.