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26 FEB - 14 MAR  2027
TheatreAustralian ExclusiveAustralian Premiere

Valentina

Caroline Guiela Nguyen

Valentina

Caroline Guiela Nguyen

When

25 Feb - 28 Feb

Where

Dunstan Playhouse

Access

Venue & access info here

Tickets

Adult
A Res $109 | B Res $99
Festival Friends
A Res $93 | B Res $84
Concession*
A Res $87 | B Res $79
Full-time student^
A Res $55 | B Res $50
Under 40**
A Res $40 | B Res $40 | B Res Restricted $40

Transaction fees apply

* Pensioner, Health Care Card holder, MEAA/Actors’ Equity member. NOTE: Commonwealth Senior Health and Seniors Cards are ineligible for concession
** Limited capacity, ID required. If price not visible, allocation is exhausted.
^ ID required

Times

Thu 25 Feb 7:30pm
Fri 26 Feb 7:30pm
Sat 27 Feb 2pm + 6pm
Sun 28 Feb 5pm

Duration

1hr 20mins, no interval

Warnings

Recommended for audiences 10+.
Latecomers will not be admitted.

Note

Performed in French and Romanian with English surtitles.

France

Be propelled into a sublime fairytale.

One evening, on her way home from school, Valentina discovers a doctor’s note on the table. Written in French to her Romanian mother who cannot understand it, she will need to translate, word for word. Standing before her, Valentina now holds an unbearable truth on the tip of her tongue, one capable of changing everything.

Valentina is a joyous contemporary fairy tale of the love between a mother and daughter, inspired by the children who carry the whole world in their throats and hearts for their parents. Superstar writer and director Caroline Guiela Nguyen (Lacrima, Saïgon) brings this beautiful work exclusively to Adelaide Festival, featuring a remarkable cast of European performers and musicians. With great warmth, Nguyen writes about miracles, the courage of children and the complex truths we carry for those we love. Valentina is profoundly affecting theatre.

“A work of rare tenderness”

Entrevue

“[one of] Europe's hottest theatre directors”

The Guardian

Text & Direction Caroline Guiela Nguyen

Performed by
Chloé Catrin and Adeline Guillot (alternating)
Madalina Constantin
Paul Guta
Cara Parvu and Adèle Dodeller and Anastasia Rosu (alternating)
Marius Stoian

Featuring the voices of Iris Baldoureaux-Fredon, Adeline Guillot and Cristina Hurler

Dramaturgy Juliette Alexandre
Artistic Collaborator Paola Secret
Set Design Alice Duchange
Romanian Language Consultant & Interpreter Natalia Zabrian
Assistant Directors Iris Baldoureaux-Fredon, Amélie Énon, Axelle Masliah
Music Teddy Gauliat-Pitois
Sound Design Quentin Dumay
Lighting Design Mathilde Chamoux
Video Design Jérémie Scheidler
Camera Operator Aurélien Losser
Costume Design Caroline Guiela Nguyen, Claire Schirck
Make-up Design Émilie Vuez
Assistant Director Intern Noé Canel
Animation Film Wanqi Gan
Casting Lola Diane

Production Théâtre national de Strasbourg

Image credit: Jean Louis Fernandez

Co-production Piccolo Teatro di Milano – Teatro d'Europa; Théâtre de l'Union, Centre dramatique national du Limousin

Supported by Centre des Récits at Théâtre national de Strasbourg.

Set constructed by the workshops of Théâtre national de Strasbourg.

Special thanks to Migrations Santé Alsace and the cardiac surgery and cardiology departments of Strasbourg University Hospitals, particularly Dr Patrick Ohlmann.

The tale Valentina ou la Vérité (Valentina or the Truth) is published by Actes Sud.

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