French series Shambles is about a woman called Florence – a successful comedian, single mother, bulldog owner – dealing with the challenges of family, fans and occasional bouts of anxiety. What's usual about this eight-part series is that it also stars (and is written, directed and produced by) a successful comedian called Florence...
Comedians often use their own life experiences as rich source material for stage shows, but French actress and comedian Florence Foresti (you can catch more of her stage work ) has gone a step further, turning her life into a semi-autobiographical television series that's both achingly real and engagingly funny. The fictional version of Florence (played by Foresti) has thousands of fans, a live-in housekeeper (played by someone who actually has worked for her, and is now an actress, Lucy Ordenacion) and some good friends, but often feels awfully alone; has conversations with her dog and an enigmatic visitor (played by Luc Antoni) who shows up at unpredictable moments; and deals with the the quirks of showbiz, including her co-writer, Pascal (Clément Bresson).
Florence Foresti and bulldog Bernie in 'Shambles'. Credit: Comme Une Grande / Iconoclast
Shambles (Désordres in the original French) is an autobiographical fiction series. Why did you choose that format to talk about your public persona as Florence Foresti, but also about your more private self, with all your doubts and anxieties? Autobiographical fiction is a genre in its own right, and one I’m particularly fond of as it’s a natural extension of my one-woman-show. It means I can still talk about my life the way I’ve always done on stage, but with more subtlety. Above all, it allows me to tackle more sensitive and complex issues. Obviously, it was also an opportunity for me to work with some amazing fellow actors! I really enjoyed finding actors who really deserve to be in the spotlight.
I use my character – my fictional alter-ego – to create comic situations and tackle subjects that matter ... there's nothing funnier than real life
Why did you want to play yourself? I’m not someone who tells stories. I don’t invent anything; I transform reality. But, as in my stage shows, I don’t set out to share my private self. I use my character – my fictional alter-ego – to create comic situations and tackle subjects that matter to me. In my opinion, there’s nothing funnier than real life.
What made you want to produce, write, direct, and act in your own series? I’ve always wanted to create a series. It was just a question of finding the right people to make it with! In this series, I wanted to talk about women, of course, and about shared custody and the birth pangs of creation but, most of all, about the anxiety disorders that afflict a large part of the population, and women twice as often as men. I wanted to demystify “panic attacks,” to talk in simple terms about depression and its treatments, to alleviate the guilt that surrounds those topics and provide some relief through laughter.
It isn’t easy to be funny about being neurotic. How did you take the edge off the subject? I didn’t set out to do that, I just wanted to make it understandable. I decided to create an enigmatic character who embodies Florence’s anxiety, someone who is omnipresent but ultimately endearing. Because, as any chronic worrier knows, you have to tame your fears when you can’t get rid of them…
In Episode 1, you refer to Sex & the City. How much of an inspiration was it to you? I loved the series but I tried to steer clear of that reference. Obviously we all have an inferiority complex with regard to US television series! So I play with that reference in Episode 1, but the form of Désordres has more in common with auteur series such as Louie, Seinfeld, Better Things, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. The real challenge for me was to stay true to the spirit of my stage shows, using the tools of fiction.
Florence Foresti (behind the wheel) with her friends, Manue (Laëtitia Vercken), Béatrice (Béatrice Facquer) and Julia (Anouk Féral), in ‘Shambles’. Credit: Comme Une Grande / Iconoclast
Why did you set the series in 2017? I decided to have the series start at a time when Florence isn’t on stage, when she’s between shows, because that’s when she’s at her most vulnerable. Idleness doesn’t suit her, and although she tries to lead a normal life, the anxiety she can only escape on stage catches up with her. That allowed me to situate my character in a fairly ordinary everyday life, as ordinary life is often much funnier than life in the public eye. Obviously, she can’t completely escape the fame that sometimes weighs heavy on her; she is pressured by her agent and friend, Béatrice, to fulfil certain professional commitments – which meant I could invite some guest stars to play their own role in the series, such as Baptiste Lecaplain and Audrey Lamy.
You also decided that your character, Florence, should be single. Why? I really wanted my character to have some more-or-less successful romantic encounters, as that’s such great comic material and it reinforces the sense of her solitude.
Who are the other characters in the series? As is the case in real life, Florence lives with her bulldog, Bernie (whose thoughts she puts into words), and her cleaner, Lucy, ultimately the boss of the house (played by my actual cleaner, now an actress!). Then there’s her best friend and co-writer, Pascal, her agent, Béatrice, and Manue and Julia, two mothers with shared custody, like her. Death is a character in his own right, prowling around Florence when she’s alone. She also has to deal with: her fans, who always crop up at the worst possible moments; an intrusive neighbour; an annoying rival; and the men she thinks she’s in love with...
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'Shambles' - season 1 episode 1
