The company
Artistic approach
Founded in 2002, Le bel après-minuit is a theatre company for young audiences directed by Bénédicte Guichardon. Over the years, its history has been marked by numerous artistic collaborations.
Le bel après-minuit offers performances for everyone, driven by a unique aesthetic approach that is closely linked to the senses and emotions.
Bénédicte Guichardon finds inspiration in observing children. She draws on their spontaneity, curiosity and ability to approach the world with endless questions. This perception of childhood is at the heart of the company’s approach. The shows play on feelings, the unspoken, the multiplicity of possible interpretations and the poetic power of images.
While primarily aimed at young audiences, her shows seek to appeal to the child in every spectator. The desire to bring together all audiences guides the choice of topics covered. Bénédicte Guichardon champions powerful subjects that immediately stir emotions and have universal appeal.
The company explores a wide variety of theatrical languages: object theatre, storytelling, shadow theatre, physical theatre and music. The creative process is rooted in intuitive research on stage. The staging is poetic and inventive, aiming to offer moments of suspension and provoke wonder.
The team
Artistic direction: Bénédicte Guichardon
A graduate of ENSATT in administration and assistant directing, with a bachelor’s degree in theatre studies from the Sorbonne Nouvelle, Bénédicte Guichardon began her career as an assistant to Jean-Louis Jacopin. In 1991, she helped found Le Rire Médecin, where she spent seven years as communications and fundraising manager. She then continued her training at the École Jacques Lecoq, studying under Jacques Lecoq, Alain Mollot and Alain Gautré, among others.
Upon graduating, she performed in several productions by Doriane Moretus (Butterfly Blues, Bubble, La Ballade des Bigorneaux), then collaborated with street theatre companies such as Oposito (Toro) and Compagnie Numéro 8 (Homosapiens Bureaucraticus, Monstres d’Humanité). From 2014 to 2015, she performed in a cabaret with Julie Ferrier at the Théâtre de la Gaîté Montparnasse and joined LAABO for the creation of (EX) LIMEN. At the same time, she directed three shows for young audiences for the Tourneboulé company, based in Lille.
In 2002, with a background combining administrative management and artistic practice, she founded her own company, Le bel après-minuit, within which she has created seven shows and six short pieces.
From 2020 to 2023, she worked with the Baba Sifon theatre company based in Réunion. She directed Le parfum d’Emond and the short play Un léger parfum d’Edmond, based on a text by Laurent Contamin.
In September 2025, she co-wrote with Caroline Darchen a fanciful cabaret produced by the Théâtre du Champ au Roy in Guigamp: Les Soeurs sourire.
Bénédicte Guichardon works with a loyal team of collaborators – actors, writers, set designers, musicians, lighting designers, videographers, graphic designers, costume designers, playwrights, assistants and builders – whose involvement contributes to the continuity and richness of her projects.
These include:
Actors: Julie André, Caroline Darchen, Nicolas Gaspar, Nicolas Guillemot, Dominique Langlais, Jonathan Salmon, Alexandre Ethève, Daniel Collados, Damien Saugeon, Marie-Pascale Grenier, Nathan Chouchana, Laurette Tessier, Julien Despont, Constance Guiouillier, Marion Träger
Authors: Catherine Verlaguet, Zoé Galeron, David Braun
Scenographers: Céline Perrigon, Mathilde Meignan, Odile Stemmelin, Aurélie Thomas
Musicians / composers: Gaspard Guilbert, Renaud Armanet, Pierre Desprats, Christine Moreau, Maxime Tavard
Lighting designers & stage managers: François Poppe, Luc Degassart, Jimmy Boury, Antoine Cadou, Vyara Stefanova, Bryan Jean-Baptiste, Thomas Roulleau-Gallais, Maxime Tavard, Emeric Teste, Christophe Troeira, Damien Valade
Graphic designers & illustrators: Krzysztof Sukiennik, Raphaël Buzaud, Claire Cantais
Costumières & accessoiristes : Louise Cariou, Fabienne Desflèches, Haruka Nagaï
Playwrights: Caroline Girard, David Braun, Morgane Lory
Manufacturers: Cédric Perraudeau, Thomas de Broissia
Administration & Production
Alain Rauline, Agnès Duthu, Eva Kobal
Office La Mécanique des Rêves
Distribution
Caroline Namer
The history
Le bel après-minuit in a few key dates
2025
Premiere of the long form Les Abîmés and performance at the Théâtre de la Ville.
2024
Creation of the trilogy Les Abîmés (text by Catherine Verlaguet) at TOTEM – Festival Off d’Avignon.
2023
Three-year residency in the municipalities of La Norville, Arpajon, and Saint-Germain-lès-Arpajon in Essonne (91). Le bel après-minuit is running an artistic and cultural education project in these three municipalities aimed at families and young people. • Creation of Sous le Plancher with Laurette Tessier, Daniel Collados, and Christine Moreau at the Théâtre Jacques Carat in Cachan and performed at the Théâtre du Train Bleu – Festival off d’Avignon.
2022
The company is accredited by the DRAC Ile-de-France. Rehearsals begin for the creation of the new show Sous le Plancher (for ages 3 and up).
2021
Creation of the small-scale form Mamie elle ne fait que des pulls blancs parce que la neige lui manque (Grandma only knits white sweaters because she misses the snow) performed in Clamart, in collaboration with the Théâtre Jean Arp, as part of the Blue Week in October 2021. (Touring in Fayence in 2022).
2020
Creation of Le Fil with Nathan Chouchana and Marie-Pascale Grenier at the André Malraux Theater in Chevilly-Larue. Creation of two short pieces: La petite Ombre de Tom (Tom’s Little Shadow) (201 performances in nursery schools), and Réflexions (Reflections) (toured secondary schools in Chevilly-Larue).
2019
Set design for the finale of Le Grand Dire at the Ferme du Saut de Loup. Recording of the play written by Catherine Verlaguet Les Vilains Petits for DA production. July: rehearsals begin for the company’s seventh production, Le Fil.
2018
Actors Nicolas Guillemot and Damien Saugeon join Daniel Collados and Alexandre Ethève for the broadcast of L’Ombre de Tom during the 2018/2019 season (150 performances). September: Le bel après-minuit becomes an associate company of the Théâtre André Malraux in Chevilly-Larue for three seasons.
2017
Creation of a new show: L’Ombre de Tom (The Shadow of Tom) (ages 3 and up). In July: performances of L’Ombre de Tom as part of the Festival OFF – Avignon – Le Nouveau Ring.
2015
The company is running an introductory course on careers in the performing arts for 40 secondary school pupils at Anis Gras (Arcueil).
2014
Rehearsal at a secondary school in Villejuif for the show Tkimoi (20 performances).
2013
Timide is scheduled to be performed at the Théâtr’enfants Festival at Le Monclar in Avignon. Creation of Les Vilains Petits (50 performances)
2012
Production of the play Timide (200 performances).
2011
Establishment of the company in the Val de Bièvre area (94) for a period of four years. Creation of the short form En Aparté (100 performances).
2008
Meeting with author Catherine Verlaguet. Staging of her play L’Oeuf et la Poule (The Egg and the Hen), presented notably as part of the ‘Rencontres Charles Dullin’ festival (followed by a tour of 100 performances).
2002
Creation of the theatre company Le bel après-minuit. Staging of L’Eloge de l’Errance with Nadine Demange. Three-year tour in Morocco and Tunisia.