Our French intern Léa bids us adieu as she travels to pastures new.

We wish her well and we hope it’s au revoir and not goodbye.

Today it’s Bastille Day!

The French people celebrate the events that took place on July 14th 1789 in a deep economic and political crisis, when Louis XVI increasingly became unable to manage anti-monarchist forces. The Bastille, a medieval fortress and prison, was a symbol of tyrannical Bourbon authority in central Paris and had held many political dissidents. It’s a public holiday in France, and the day is celebrated with lots of fireworks, parades and communal eating.

So this is what we did today at the PumpHouse Theatre!

We had a French lunch: cheese, croissants, pâté and pastries with all the team, James, Gill, Julia and Stephen. We couldn’t find any snails or frogs around the lake…

It’s always a touching moment for me to share about my culture. A big shout-out to Gill who even wore a beret.

When I first started to work as an intern at the PumpHouse Theatre in January, I had no idea what the word “usher” meant. Hence my surprise when I asked Julia if I was going to meet the real Usher here in Takapuna, she said that, unfortunately, no I won’t. Little did I know that I was about to meet even more interesting people here at The PumpHouse Theatre. From ghosts’ hunters to cheerleaders, the list would be too long…! I even met a dragon, can you believe it?

More recently I had the craziest experience watching a play called SolOthello, mixing the world of Shakespeare with the Māori culture. Coming from far far away and English not being my mother tongue, what happened in my head was crazy! The actor was using old English and “Te reo”, the Māori language. Just think about the mental exercise for a foreigner! Yet it was the most interesting thing.

Working at the PumpHouse has given me the opportunity to be closer to a so-far unknown culture that I had no clue of, and be part of a joyful community. Now I’m proud to say that I can explain to my friends back home that being a “duty manager” has nothing to do with a military job, that a “front of house” is not the image that comes up when you google an address, that the “working lights” are not lights that used to not work, and that “props” are not some kind of new trendy drugs.

Merci le PumpHouse et Vive la France!!

Léa HERVIER