Bastille Day, July 14

We celebrated the 14th of July with a French-American play followed by a meal.at Mon Petit Cafe.

The play, An Attic Full of Hope, was performed at the French Institute Alliance Française near our apartment.  The performers were talented middle and high school students from the Bronx and from Nanterre in Paris.  Nanterre is the Bronx of Paris.  The play is the result of a cultural exchange program program.  Last year, the Bronx students performed the play in Paris.  This year, the Nanterre students performed the play in NYC.  

The play is a collection of vignettes with a loose story line.  The French actors performed their scenes in French and the American actors performed their scenes in English and Spanish.  (Thank goodness for subtitles.)

What struck us about the play was the energy and emotion the actors put into their performance.  They had written many of the stories based on personal experience.  Since some of the stories addressed serious topics (abuse, bullying, poverty, unemployment, immigration), the play was compelling. 

Following the play, we ventured to a French-style cafe and enjoyed cheese and other morsels, with a oui bit of champagne to celebrate. 

Photo of the French-American cast of An Attic Full of Hope

Photo of the cast.  Note the dude with the cool hair.

Photo of Mon Petit Cafe, at 62nd and Lex

P.S.  Sadly, July 14 was the day of the terrible attack in Nice.