Patrice Leconte recounts his incredible experience in “My naked neighbor” at the theater

It is with the adaptation of a play by the Splendid troupe, Love, Shellfish and Crustaceans become The Bronzed in the cinema where he experienced his first successes. And what a success!! But in residence at Bagnoles-de-l’Orne in Normandy, Patrice Leconte returns to the source of what made him known: the theater.

For the first time he presents a play entirely written and directed by himself. “My naked neighbor” is inspired by a funny and offbeat anecdote, in his image.

One day when he was working in his office at 6^e floor of Boulevard Montparnasse, the director sees his neighbor through the window, naked. He doesn’t hide, he doesn’t show off, he never draws the curtains and almost never leaves his small apartment. The scene catches his attention, he decides to make him the protagonist of the play.

Its main character, François, recounts his frustration: impossible to work in view of this immodest neighbor. He brings Victoire, his lover, and Paul, his best friend, to show them this frightening neighbor. This trio of voyeurs played by comedian Arnaud Tsamère, Cyril Eldin (ex Canal +) and Pauline Lefèvre will make this naked neighbor a real obsession.

From cinema to theater

Since his cinema debut, Patrice Leconte has had a string of successes: “Tandem” (1987), “The hairdresser’s Husband” (1990), “The girl on the Bridge” (1999). All these films are nominated for the Césars, but it’s his costume comedy.”Ridiculous”(1996) which won him the award for best director.

On the theater side, from 1991, he was already directing “Ornifle or the Draft”, by Jean Anouilh, then around ten other pieces until his launch into writing in 2021. He composed for the first time the piece “The Sofa”directed by Jean-Luc Moreau.

“My Naked Neighbor” marks a new turning point in his career. She will tour French theaters until spring 2024.