The Mères tape-dur company will perform a play and broadcast its documentary, both linked to the history of Tarar, on the occasion of the European Heritage Days.
It is no longer necessary to prove that the company of the Mères tape-dur is passionate about local history and in particular that of the former J.-B.-Martin factory and its young workers. Those who have been made invisible and of whom few archives remain find light again through the research and work of the collective.
“To allow local people to reclaim a part of history.”
At the start of this school year, several projects will (re)see the light of day, in particular for the European Heritage Days. As in 2023, the play Wait for the storm to pass will be performed in the setting of this former factory, opened for the occasion. “When we wrote this text about a young worker and an Algerian immigrant, it was not even possible to perform it in this place full of history,” explains Angèle Junet, artistic director of the Tararienne company. Later, when the town hall offered it to us, we said to ourselves that everything was perfectly aligned. To be able to perform it where the story really took place gives it another dimension.”
This will certainly be the last time that the actors will be able to perform this performance in this place because the building should soon be renovated. The play will however continue its performances, “often in museums dedicated to textiles or the working class, but also for schools” and a book with the text has already been published ( read below ).
The documentary dedicated to the young workers who lived in these dormitories, entitled Little hands will also be broadcast during the weekend following the heritage days. The historical research carried out for Wait for the storm to pass continued and a film project was set up in January 2023. Interviews began to learn more about this relatively poorly documented part of Tararian history. Last September, work on the filming of the documentary itself began.
“Stunned by the quality of the game”
Writing, sewing and artistic workshops were held to “allow local people to reclaim a part of history”. 80 young girls volunteered for a week of filming in the old factory itself. “We passed on the knowledge we had learned, but also 19th century skills such as embroidery, dance, calligraphy… It was long and cold, but everything was done with respect for each person and they were very serious. I was even stunned by the quality of the acting.”
According to Angèle Junet, it was a “project where we had to hang on. Other generations tried and had problems, particularly with funding, as if weaving was not beautiful and did not help the image of the city.” But, in addition to the Tarariens who volunteered to participate, the town hall and local businesses also provided their support. For the editing, she worked with Sylvain Bergé, another member of the company: “We isolated ourselves for weeks to give meaning to these images, it was like a marathon that I was not used to running. We moved forward together like artisans, to honor all those who had participated.”
Without archives of these girls’ lives, it was necessary to find ways to illustrate or “show the void that is also revealing.” Although the company claims to be “historical to the maximum,” it describes this production as “an artistic documentary. What we like is to tell stories and talk about the city in a different way.”
Practical. Film screening Little hands at the Jacques-Perrin cinema Saturday September 21 at 2 p.m., 5 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. and Sunday September 22 at 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Show Wait for the storm to pass played at the former J.-B.-Martin factory on September 29 and 29 at 3 and 6 p.m. More information on the website www.lesmerestapedur.fr
