Valentina - Theatre at La Garance

A sensitive tale about the power of words and the fragility of truth

Between reality and fairy tale, the weight of words and their translation

Between Romania and France, between school and hospital, a nine-year-old girl discovers a note left by the doctor. Written in French, she must translate it for her mother, who does not speak the language. In this suspended moment, Valentina becomes the interpreter of a truth no child should ever have to tell.

Presented with La Garance, Scène nationale de Cavaillon, Valentina is a creation by Caroline Guiela Nguyen, produced by the Théâtre National de Strasbourg. The director, known for her profoundly human works (Saigon, Fraternité, conte fantastique, LACRIMA), continues here her exploration of intimate emotions and silent dramas.

Between reality and fiction, she weaves a tale at a child's height, where truth is whispered and words become both weapons and refuge. With rare sensitivity, Caroline Guiela Nguyen leads us through a poetic journey about the power of language, memory, and tenderness.

Caroline Guiela Nguyen

Author and director, Caroline Guiela Nguyen founded the company Les Hommes Approximatifs in 2009. Her work, recognized for its deeply human and universal dimension, explores the links between memory, exile, and transmission. Her creations, performed on major national and international stages, always seek to give a voice to those who are seldom heard.

Additional information

• Duration: 1h20
• Audience: Ages 10 and up
• Accessibility:
  - Naturally accessible to deaf or hard of hearing people — the show is mainly visual.
  - PRM: Accessible to people with reduced mobility (wheelchair, cane, etc.).
• Catering on site: possibility to book your meal