Television. The end of “Plus belle la vie”: “What are we going to do on our couch? ” – South West

The actors of “Plus belle la vie” greeting their fans from the upper floor of the Brasserie des Dames. Romuald Augé / SOUTH WEST In La Rochelle, no red carpet, but a human tide, as in the first days of the festival, including one outside the walls in Jonzac (Charente-Maritime) in 2011 had come close to collective hysteria. A sympathetic madness, however, even when the teams of “Plus belle la vie” and “Here everything begins”, the little cousin of TF1, crossed paths, sustained rhythm of the protocol. “La femme du bistro” Coming from Saintes (Charente-Maritime) with her husband spend the weekend in the prefecture city, without knowing the existence of the festival, Catherine has not returned to see those she sees “every day”. “She is the woman from the bistro. He is the lawyer, the other is the surgeon. She is the lady in love with a priest. She looks younger than in the series. » Jérôme Bertin, Michel Cordes and Stéphane Henon, in the Old Port of La Rochelle. Romuald Augé/SUD OUEST Knowledge of the plot of the series of some 4,600 episodes is often unrelated to the memory of names. “He is Jean-Paul, the cop [Stéphane Henon], points to Catherine. I call them by the first name they have in the series. This is how Anne Décis should hear herself hailed “Luna”, Sylvie Flepp “Mirta”, Cécilia Hornus “Blanche”, Pierre Martot “Léo” or Laurent Kérusoré “Thomas” for a long time to come, as evidenced by the bath of crowd yesterday. A selfie with Tim Rousseau (alias Kilian), one of the young actors of “Plus belle la vie” Romuald Augé/SUD OUEST “It’s too hard, I’m going to have to do the dishes. “Even those who admit to knowing nothing about “Plus belle la vie” have references. “It’s Roland from the bar!” [Michel Cordes] “, exploded with joy a group of young Poitevins on the go. “Hey, kid, come here! cried Michèle and Christine laughing, aiming their phone at Tim Rousseau, one of the cadets in the series. The two former colleagues from the Alstom factory in Aytré are however devastated and they have let their favorite actors know. “We will miss you, don’t stop! What are we going to do on our couch? Are we going to knit? “” I watch ” Plus belle la vie ” every night since the beginning, in 2004, confided Michèle, recovering from her emotions. If necessary, I save it. That it stops, it is not possible, I do not believe in it. I tell myself that they will resume. It’s too hard, I’m going to have to do the dishes. “Léa François, alias Barbara in “Plus belle la vie”. Augé Romuald/SUD OUEST QuizThe communion with the public took place on Saturday afternoon at the Verdière theater, where 380 privileged people – the places sold out in a few minutes this summer –, all generations combined, were able to attend an unprecedented event in the history of the Festival de la fiction.After the credits of the series were repeated in chorus, the twenty actors took part in a quiz in the style of “Questions for a champion”, in order to test their knowledge and that of the biggest fans on “the adventure of the Mistral bar”. The less regular, visibly rare in the room, learned that the series was almost called “Mistral winner”, that the artificial decor (built in the studios of the Belle de Mai) was inspired by the Panier district in Marseille, that seven children were born over the episodes. Or that “Plus belle la vie” was the first French series to dare to show a gay marriage on screen, only eleven days after the promulgation of the law authorizing it. Standing ovation and with a few tears at the Verdière theater. Romuald Augé/SUD OUEST Social issues Transidentity, surrogacy (GPA), addictions, migrants, Alzheimer’s disease, ecology… The scriptwriters followed, on a daily basis, changes in society as well as the concerns of the moment. This is why many, among the millions – five at the height of peak audiences – of viewers stuck in front of their TV every evening at the same time as the high mass at 8 p.m., have identified with the characters.