Stage Reading - Peur(s) with WilmerHale and Barclay Damon

English version

It's the story of a man.
The story of an entire nation through this man.
He whose mother brought back the notes of the McCarthy trials.
He who watched the re-transmissions of the army hearings accused of being infiltrated by the Communists and defended by a well-known law firm known as H and D.
He who, as a young law student, traveled the Mississippi alone in his van, to advocate for the many badly mistreated African American citizens, against those who threaten him with imprisonment and death with no reason.
And then 40 years later, he is the one who says that in a well-known prison in Cuba, some tortured prisoners are innocent. He and his colleagues bring suit against President Bush, resulting three and one-half years later in a land mark 5-4 decision by US Supreme Court that the men held in Guantanamo Bay Prison were entitled to challenge their indefinite imprisonment in a habeas corpus trial before a federal judge.
We met this man. We were able to hear the stories of these prisoners told by one of them, by their lawyer, by the lawyer's wife.

French version

C’est l’histoire d’un homme.
L’histoire d’une nation toute entière à travers cet homme.
Celui dont la mère rapportait les notes des procès du Maccarthysme.
Celui qui regardait les retransmissions des audiences de l’armée accusée d’être infiltrée par les communistes, et défendue par un cabinet d’avocat bien connu que nous appellerons H et D.
Celui qui, jeune étudiant en droit parcourt le Mississipi seul dans sa camionnette, pour défendre les esclaves noirs contre ceux qui le menacent de mort et l'emprisonnent sans raison.
Et puis 40 ans plus tard, il est celui qui se dit que dans une prison bien connue de Cuba, certains prisonniers torturés sont innocents. Il plaide contre Bush et gagne devant les neufs juges de la cour suprême.
Cet homme, nous l’avons rencontré. De ces prisonniers, nous avons pu entendre les histoires, racontées par un d’entre eux, par leur avocat, par la femme de l’avocat.

About Boumediene v. Bush

Boumediene v. Bush was a writ of habeas corpus submission made in a civilian court of the United States on behalf of Lakhdar Boumediene, held in military detention by the United States at the Guantanamo Bay detention camps in Cuba. In December 2007, Seth Waxman made the oral argument to the Supreme Court in Boumediene v. Bush which upheld habeas corpus rights for detainees at Guantanamo Bay. (Wikipedia)

About WilmerHale

WilmerHale provides global legal representation across a comprehensive range of industry and practice areas. “WilmerHale locked down major litigation victories over the past year for a number of high-profile clients including Apple, Intel and Ford, earning it a spot among Law360's Litigation Powerhouses.“ (Law 360).

With a heritage that includes their involvement in the foundation of legal aid work early in the 20th century, the firm has consistently distinguished themselves as leaders in pro bono representation. Many of their lawyers have played, and continue to play, prominent roles in public service activities of national and international importance—from counseling U.S. presidents to opposing discrimination and defending human rights around the world.” (Law 360, Wikipedia, WilmerHale)

About Sarah Tick, Director

Sarah Tick is co-artistic director of the company JimOe with Vincent Debost. She directed Peur(s) (Fears) by Hédi Tillette de Clermont Tonnerre at the Théâtre de la Loge (September 2016), the DNAO first study (festival Aux Alentours, by Thomas Matalou and théâtre de l’Etoile du Nord), Why My brothers and I left... by Hédi Tillette de Clermont-Tonnerre. For Peur(s), she received the stage writing grant SACD / Beaumarchais in 2016. After training at the prestigious Cours Florent and at the Studio de Formation Théâtrale in Vitry sur Seine, she played with Ronan Rivière among others.

About Hédi Tillette de Clermont Tonnerre, Author

Hédi Tillette de Clermont Tonnerre trained as an actor at the Conservatoire National Supérieur d'Art Dramatique in Paris, graduating in 2000 from the program. He apprenticed at the Unité/Nomade de mise en scène, a contemporary theater. In 2003, with Lisa Pajon, he founded the Théâtre Irruptionnel, and produced a dozen shows throughout France. He received the Beaumarchais Prize in 2005 for his production, Le 23 octobre 2002, j’ai perdu la foi. As an actor in theater, he has worked with renowned directors Jean-Louis Benoit, Joel Jouanneau, Elisabeth Chailloux, Jean Lacornerie, Pierre Pradinas, and Lucas Hemleb. He is also laureate of the program Villa Médicis-Hors les murs in Cairo where he is currently writing Um Kulthum, tu es ma vie!