Cowboy ou indien ?

Open to the exploration of contemporary writing and aesthetics, but also to the cross-disciplinary nature of forms and the blending of genres, Groupe Déjà creates shows where theatre, gesture, idiocy, manipulated objects, music, humour, philosophy, meaning and nonsense meet. The artistic director is Sébastian Lazennec, who co-writes with artistic accomplice Antoine Meunier. In essence, Groupe Déjà likes to question our solitudes and our ways of living together. In terms of form, Groupe Déjà's interest lies in its relationship with the audience and its use of theatrical codes.

Sébastian Lazennec trained as a classical actor at the Conservatoire d'Art dramatique (Le Mans) and then at the Ecole du Passage (Paris) with Niels Arestrup and Alexandre del Perugia. He directed his first play at the age of 18, Obaldia's Classe terminale. In 1992 he co-founded and co-directed the Cie Utopium théâtre and its structure Utopium productions. This led him to tour Europe with his theatrical creations. This adventure lasted 25 years.

In 2006, to assert a more personal artistic identity and to be able to direct around twenty actors on stage, he created the Grand maximum collective, working with non-professional actors. In May 2025, his fifteenth creation, Grand maximum, was released.

Groupe Déjà was born in 2013 following an artistic and human encounter with Antoine Meunier. Groupe Déjà is directed by Sébastian and brings together all his work and creations. His shows explore moments in life, confronting melancholy and humour, the true and the false, the absurd and the realistic, the ordinary and the extraordinary, the human...

Since 1992, Sébastian has continued his training, whether in theatre with Jean-Christophe Meurisse, in clowning with Michel Dallaire, Catherine Germain and Tom Roos, in stunt with Stéphane Filloque or, a few years ago, with Didier Lastère and François Chaumette. He has also directed and acted for Thé à la rue, Micro Focus, Zutano Bazar, Paf théâtre...

After trying his hand at a number of courses: psychology, history, special education, etc., in 2008 Antoine Meunier admitted to himself that what interested him most was theatre. That same year, he co-founded the Cie A Brûle pour points in Angers. He has taken part in a number of collective artistic projects with the Thé à la rue company and with ‘La rue du milieu’ in Maine et Loire. He also directed and wrote for children's and teenage theatre workshops between 2003 and 2015. In 2011 he met Sebastian Lazennec, and in 2012 he co-wrote and performed in one of Utopium théâtre's latest productions: ‘Le forum des assos’.

Since 2013, Groupe Déjà has occupied all his time. He performs, co-writes and co-directs most of the company's productions. He also leads cultural initiatives linked to the shows. For him, art, as well as being accessible to all, must alert, create exchange and be a release valve for the audience. As a utopian, he believes that culture encourages people to live together. He likes to think that we can even avoid taking ourselves too seriously...

Authors Antoine Meunier and Sébastian Lazennec
Stage direction collective
With the outside view of Stanislas Hilairet and Servane Deschamps
Choreographer Florence Loison
Performers Antoine Meunier and Sébastian Lazennec
Scenography Olivier Clausse and Sarah Quentin
Lighting design and technical director Simon Rutten
Sound creation Julien Leguay
Stage manager Samy Hidous
Photography Pascal Boudet
Diffusion, production, administration Émilie Métris
Communication Laurianne Marié

Production
Groupe Déjà

Coproductions and financial support
Théâtre Le Carroi – La Flèche (72)
Ville des Sables d’Olonnes (85)
Crea – St Georges de Didonne (17)
Ville de La Tranche sur Mer (85)
L’association Alarue – Festival Les Zaccros d’ma Rue – Nevers (58)

État – DRAC des Pays de la Loire
Région des Pays de la Loire

Hosting residencies
Théâtre La Fonderie – Le Mans (72)
Les Quinconces et L’Espal, Scène nationale – Le Mans (72)
Le Fourneau, Centre National de Arts de la Rue et de l’Espace Public – Brest (29)
Théâtre Le Carroi – La Flèche (72)
Asso. Alarue – Festival Les Zaccros d’ma Rue – Nevers (58)
Réseau La Déferlante – Les Sables d’Olonne (85)
CREA – Saint Georges de Didonne (17)
Les Abattoirs – Riom (63)
Réseau La Déferlante – La Tranche sur Mer (85)
La Rue du Milieu – Saint Clément de la Place (49)
Centre culturel Val de Vray – Saint Saturnin (72)
EVE – Scène universitaire – Le Mans (72)