EXCLUDED – The actor of “Under the sun” Frédéric Deban announces to file a complaint after homophobic insults at the Festival off d’Avignon: “There was even an attempt at physical aggression!”

By Kevin VATANT

The actor Frédéric Deban, known in particular for having been one of the main characters of “Sous le soleil” on TF1, and who has been playing at the Ambigu theater since the start of the Off d’Avignon festival in “Journal d’un malaudition et his misunderstandings” has just been the target of homophobic insults.

Last Thursday, a few minutes from his only on stage, and while spectators were waiting to enter the room, inside the theater, he and his producer, Dominique, were attacked by a theater technician, who would have told them in front of everyone: “Go… your guy, you dirty f…!”

Frédéric Deban reacts for the first time exclusively pour jeanmarcmorandini.com

JMM.COM: Did you ever have any problems with the theater manager who allegedly uttered these insults?

Frédéric Deban: Yes I fired him five days before for incompatibility. He hadn’t liked that.

JMM.COM: Beyond the insults and comments made, was there a physical altercation?

Frédéric Deban: Yes, which was stopped short by several people who were in the theater, two minutes before my performance. Two minutes before going on stage, it is very difficult to find yourself confronted with such violence. But the people in the theater and for some belonging to the management of the establishment, made sure that the fight did not degenerate in the room. With the doors wide open, the audience waiting to see me on stage heard it all.

JMM.COM; Have you filed a complaint?

Frédéric Deban: Yes I filed an online complaint which was addressed to the public prosecutor of Aix-en-Provence and I will ratify this complaint with the Avignon police station for homophobia. The scene was not filmed, but I have regarding ten people who witnessed this incredible scene, plus the spectators who were waiting in front of the theatre.

JMM.COM: Has a sanction been taken once morest the manager?
Frédéric Deban: No, no sanctions were taken once morest him despite the presence of the director, who owns the AMBIGU theatre. And this, to my great astonishment. But perhaps the media coverage of this unfortunately too common incident in France will make the people concerned react. I also hope that the resident of the Festival will intervene so that this kind of deplorable and scandalous scene does not happen once more. In my 40-year career, I’ve met a lot of stage managers, especially during my many shoots. They were content to do their job as stage manager, and with great respect.
I did not fight this fight to find the sounds for five years, to return to the Avignon festival, to play my only one on stage, “Journal of a hard of hearing and his misunderstandings” to hear such horrors! I think that these homophobic insults coming from the manager’s mouth were anything but a misunderstanding on his part.