Geneva Puppet Theatre Stages "Feu au lac!", Celebrating Romand Uprisings

At the Théâtre des Marionnettes de Genève (TMG), "Feu au lac!" offers a powerful and often overlooked narrative of Genevan and Romand resistance. This production, described as a "chronicle of Romand dissent not found in history books," brings to life the spirit of rebellion and solidarity that shaped the region. The standout episode, the 1907 cigar workers' uprising in Yverdon-les-Bains, is particularly compelling. It vividly portrays the courage of approximately fifty female workers who stood firm against their paternalistic employer, Henri Vautier, defying police and even the army. Their subsequent success in organizing a boycott and founding "La Syndicale," a worker-run cooperative, serves as a potent symbol of collective action and empowerment. This story resonates deeply in Switzerland, a country often perceived through a lens of neutrality and consensus, reminding us of the fierce struggles for labor rights and social justice that have occurred. "Feu au lac!" challenges conventional historical narratives and celebrates the voices of those who fought for a more equitable future, urging audiences not to "be proletarians ready to crawl before capitalism."

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chronique de la contestation romande qui ne figure pas dans les livres d’histoires