'The Belly of Paris' by Anne Barbot, after Zola
Happening now
After Émile Zola's novel, director Anne Barbot brings to the stage the quiet life of Lisa and Quenu, pork butchers at the heart of the Halles, until the brother's return unsettles their peace. Demanding, generous theatre to discover at the Théâtre de la Manufacture, in Nancy.
Zola at the heart of Les Halles
Lisa and her husband Quenu lead a peaceful life with their daughter Pauline, running a thriving pork butcher's in the Parisian district of Les Halles. But when Quenu's brother reappears after years away, his ideas and his past disturb this comfortable balance. Around a belly of the city overflowing with food and appetites, Zola pits the well-fed against the hungry, bourgeois order against simmering revolt. Anne Barbot unfolds this contrast with rare force, turning the novel into living theatrical matter, at once sensual and political.
Anne Barbot, a long-running exploration of Zola
This production continues a long companionship with Zola's work. After staging L'Assommoir and then La Terre, presented at La Manufacture in October 2025, Anne Barbot pursues her exploration of the worlds the novelist described. At the head of her company, she favours staging strung between order and chaos, where bodies and objects speak as much as words. Her reading is anything but dusty: she sets the novel's 19th century in dialogue with our own anxieties, and questions human ambivalence and thwarted hopes, yesterday's and today's alike.
A play that resonates with our times
What strikes in this adaptation is how it makes Zola burn with relevance. The difficulty of shifting the lines in a society stifled by fear, the temptation to withdraw, the gap between those who have and those who lack: so many 19th-century tensions that speak to our 21st. The staging plays on these echoes without ever labouring the point, leaving the spectator free to make their own connections. Recommended from age 15, the show speaks to teenagers and adults alike, and offers a fine gateway into the novelist's world.
The Théâtre de la Manufacture, Nancy's CDN
Housed in a former tobacco factory, the Théâtre de la Manufacture is Nancy's National Drama Centre, a place of creation recognised well beyond Lorraine. Seeing a show here means tasting live theatre in a setting of tastefully restored industrial architecture. The venue is on rue Baron Louis, a short distance from our apartments and the historic centre. Performances run in late September and early October; be sure to book, as season-opening dates are often in high demand. Dinner in town before or after rounds off the evening perfectly.
Infos pratiques
Adresse : 10 rue Baron Louis, Théâtre de la Manufacture, 54000 Nancy
Questions fréquentes
What is 'The Belly of Paris' about?
After Zola, the play follows Lisa and Quenu, prosperous Les Halles pork butchers, whose balance shatters when Quenu's brother returns with his revolutionary ideas.
From what age?
The show is recommended from age 15. It suits teenagers as well as adult theatregoers.
Where and when is the play performed?
At the Théâtre de la Manufacture, rue Baron Louis in Nancy, in late September and early October. Check the official website for exact dates and times.
How do I book seats?
Booking is done through the theatre's box office. Check the official ticket office for prices and availability.
Pexels — Wendy Wei · Pexels — george charry
