The Israeli Association ACTE was born out of the need to establish a structure for theatrical creations or directions in French.

Creation is not an egocentric game – it involves giving oneself simply and sincerely. It therefore implies the presence of the Other, who is the only real partner with whom there can be dialogue, exchange and a genuine encounter, which is why it represents the ethical sphere for a commitment, for our commitment. Within this framework, the Other is, first and foremost, the French-speaking public in Israel. This represents quite a large public, which does not convene on any “stage”. Cut off from their language, from their culture of origin, most French speakers in Israel do not go to the theatre. This is not only a pity, it is also harmful, since the theatre remains the best space, through emotion and reflection, for us to re-cognize ourselves.

The Other, however, also represents all the others – the Israelis with various faces and origins. Whether they are native or immigrant Israelis, the French language and culture still represent significant poles of attraction. The theatre then becomes a place for sharing, and not only for spreading ideas and for meeting others. We believe this function is essential in Israeli society, which is all too often being torn apart.

ACTE, which was founded in 2003, has already accumulated a number of creations: Le Trou (Rachel Lascar-Feldman); Art (Yasmina Reza); PluriElles (Rachel Lascar-Feldman); Central Park West (Woody Allen); and Mère de Guerre (Adolphe Nysenholc).

Each year, one of these plays was selected for the Jerusalem Festival of Performing Arts, and all have enjoyed undeniable success. The group of amateur actors, backed by the members of the association, which is geared towards promoting French-speaking theatre in Israel, guarantees the creative dynamism of our project. The enthusiasm exhibited by the public confirms the seriousness of our work and the accuracy of our choices, while is serves as a lever towards the fulfillment of our desires.