Jean-Paul Wenzel

JeanPaul Wenzel is a playwright director director actor of French theater born July 13 1947 in SaintEtienne in the Loire a German father and a French mother He followed training at the School of Dramatic Art in Strasbourg from 1966 to 1969 then began his theatrical career under the direction of recognized directors such as Robert Gironès Peter Brook Philippe Goyard and Michel Raskine He also plays in the cinema with directors like René Allio Gisèle Cavali Aki Kaurismäki and Gérard Blain Wenzel then turned to dramatic writing and experienced national and international recognition with his play far from Hagondange 1974 translated into eighteen languages and played in twenty countries which receives the Critics Prize in 1976 He then wrote many other pieces of which Marianne awaits marriage 1976 Vater Land 1984 Prize for the best French creation Faire Bleu 1999 six miniature tragedies 2004 and Margot 2005 Its theater is recognized for its popular dimension and its ability to evoke everyday life in a universal way In addition to his author activity JeanPaul Wenzel is a committed pedagogue He taught at the Comédie de SaintÉtienne heads the school of the National Theater of Brittany from 1995 to 2000 and intervenes in several schools and conservatories in France and abroad He cofounded in 1976 with JeanLouis Hourdin and Olivier Perrier the theatrical meetings of Hérisson then codirige with Olivier Perrier the Center Dramatique National Les Federés in Montluçon from 1985 to 2002 Since 2003 he has managed with the playwright Arlette Namiand the company now with which he pursues the creation of shows and the adaptation of literary works for the scene JeanPaul Wenzel also staged texts of great authors like Bertolt Brecht Rainer Werner Fassbinder Jean Genet Odön von Horvath Enzo Cormann and Howard Barker as well as theatrical adaptations of works by Maupassant Primo Levi Arthur Koestler and Sevene Ousmane His cinematographic career includes roles in films such as common memory 1978 a doctor of the Enlightenment 1988 La Vie de Bohème 1992 and Bazar 2009 JeanPaul Wenzel remains a major figure in the French contemporary theater recognized for his artistic and educational commitment as well as for the vitality and humanity of his work