ONLY MY HAIR IS GREY
Gilles Vajou & Olivier Claverie
Olivier Claverie, Hélène Babu & Thibault de Montalembert
ONLY MY HAIR IS GREY
A modern comedy inspired by traditional French farces. The play takes place in a beautiful, old Parisian shopping arcade. George, our main character, owns the arcade. Unfortunately, his financial incompetence, or that of his father, has led to the leases being transferred to Bartolini, our villain, who wants to close the shops and put everything online. Both men are, of course, in love with the same woman. Laughter abounds as the two men enlist the help of the puppeteer –barber Figaro and try to avoid the disruptions caused by Mavis, a homeless woman who sings opera. This world of the shopping arcade is one of shopkeepers and individuals, and their desire to cling to the past (and to genuine connections) despite all the rapid changes around them in the modern world.
Written by Wendy BECKETT
French translation by Stéphane LAPORTE
ONLY MY HAIR IS GREY premiered at Théâtre Libre, Paris in February-March 2026 starring Thibault de MONTALEMBERT & Hélène BABU with Olivier CLAVERIE, Guilaine LONDEZ, Eva LORIQUET, Gilles VAJOU and Pierre BUF
Directed by Wendy BECKETT
Assistant Director Lina LAMARA
Scenic Design by Halcyon PRATT
Scenic Assistant Capucine GROU-RADENCE
Lighting Design by François LENEVEU
Original Music by Mehdi BOURAYOU & Maxime RICHELME
Costume Design by Sylvie SKINAZI
ChoreographyLina STOLTZ
Wigs and Hair Kelly GODOT
CAST 3 women & 4 men
SETTING Paris
Photos 2026 © Inanis
Gilles Vajou & Olivier Claverie
Guilaine Londez & Hélène Babu
“It’s a lively little comedy... This play brings joy and, beyond its farce-like form, raises profound questions such as rivalry and manipulation, social contradictions, and the relationship between modernity and the legacy of the past.”
“The chemistry between Thibault de Montalembert and Hélène Babu makes this lighthearted comedy delightful.”
“With a set design worthy of a Jérôme Savary operetta, Only My Hair Is Gray sets the bar very high from the outset. Author Wendy Beckett drew inspiration from The Barber of Seville to tell this modern-day love story, taking into account certain societal changes...
Thibault de Montalembert and Hélène Babu bring gaiety and energy to this romantic comedy with its very old-fashioned tone. They act, they sing, they love each other with elegance. A delightful time is had by all.”
Thibault de Montalembert & Eva Loriquet
Pierre Buf, Thibault de Montalembert & Hélène Babu
“Between heritage and modernity, stated certainties and uncontrolled impulses, the play paints a joyfully offbeat portrait of our romantic relationships. A sparkling, elegant, and very funny comedy, where we laugh at love, the passing of time, and the art of seduction when one’s hair turns gray.”
“Inspired by The Barber of Seville, this hilarious comedy stars Thibault de Montalembert...
...An irresistible and well-constructed comedy. Satirically poignant, it reveals the contradictions of our time. A must-see for a good time with some well-known artists.”
“We are... catapulted into a Broadway-style comedy of manners, crackling, muscular, a firework display of double-layered gags
and characters who overflow their boundaries. The trap is perfect. And the joy, immediate. Because Wendy Beckett (With Only My Hair Is Gray, she has created her most popular show in the best sense of the word:
accessible, generous, funny, and human. ...She plays at making something new out of something very old, and the operation succeeds completely.
...The gags fly thick and fast, deceptively simple. The pace never lets up. The play races along at breakneck speed...”
Olivier Claverie & Hélène Babu
Gilles Vajou & Guilaine Londez
“What’s truly striking is the generosity of the show. There’s a lot of laughter.
...We identify with them [the characters]. We recognize ourselves. We leave with the feeling of having spent 1 hour and 15 minutes laughing at ourselves, which is the mark of the best comedies.”
“Effective and unpretentious, the show, interspersed with cleverly crafted refrains by Mehdi Bourayou and Maxime Richelme and a few dance steps, has no other ambition than to fully entertain us for an evening.”
“Wendy Beckett has written a play as charming as it is romantic.
...Wendy Beckett’s fable, inspired by The Barber of Seville, possesses an indefinable charm, so effectively does it transport the spectator into a truly unique world.
...in the age of dating apps and the omnipresence of social media, is an ode to romance and real connections.
...A fine cast of actors for a light comedy, a tribute to the bygone charm of old Paris, but one that speaks volumes about our time.”
Hélène Babu & Thibault de Montalembert
ONLY MY HAIR IS GREY – TRAILER
2026 Théâtre Libre, Paris France