Élie Semoun « Cactus »

On November 21, 2026, at the Les Atlantes Congress Center in Les Sables-d’Olonne, Elie Semoun presents Cactus, his eighth show. Thirty years after his debut, the comedian leans further into stand-up while retaining his taste for the characters that have marked his signature. A new gallery of figures appears: Jean Abdul, who opens the evening as the opening act; a son who takes his father to visit a nursing home (EHPAD); Xavier, with a motor disability, who introduces his wife to his mother; a father confronted with his son’s transition; and a racist karate instructor. Across the scenes, he tackles sensitive subjects such as sexual harassment and religion, and straightforwardly observes what creates friction in the present era. Cactus alternates confidences, portraits, and shifts in tone, with a more direct writing style and a tightened pace. Between stand-up and sketches, Elie Semoun maps the taboos, intolerances, and gray areas of everyday life, true to his way of seeking laughter where it is not necessarily expected.