Victor Hugoat, n°1 of French rap: when Victor Hugo meets Jul on stage

What if Victor Hugo had been a rapper? That's the offbeat challenge taken up by BART in Victor Hugoat, n°1 du rap français, a show that's part lecture, part musical performance and part literary humor. Scheduled at the Grand Point Virgule until June 26, this one-man show revisits the writer's life through a contemporary flow and a healthy dose of self-mockery.

In an atypical format combining stand-up, biography revisited and musical performance, artist BART presents Victor Hugoat, n°1 of French rap at the Grand Point Virgule. From May 8 to June 26, 2025, he will revisit the life of Victor Hugo through a series of rhythmic stage tableaux, in which the author of Les Misérables becomes the central figure of a contemporary rap universe. By imagining what Hugo would have been like had he lived in the age of networks and battles, BART would seek to bring the grandeur of the 19th century into dialogue with today's urban culture.

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The show Victor Hugoat, n°1 du rap français would follow an original biographical thread: constructing a live rap piece retracing the life of Victor Hugo, from his literary beginnings to his political exile, via personal dramas. Each stage of this narrative would be supported by stage performances: rapped extracts, moments of humorous narration, interactions with the audience, and dialogued scenes. The audience would be invited to relive the Battle of Hernani, evoke Léopoldine, or vibrate to the rhythm of speeches at the Assembly, all punctuated by the fictional appearance of rap stars such as Jul, Nekfeu or PNL.

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The show would appeal to audiences who enjoy hybrid formats that blend classical culture and popular codes. Fans of rap, literature or comedy theater could find an unexpected bridge between disciplines. It would also appeal to young people and schoolchildren looking for a more accessible approach to French literary history. On the other hand, those expecting a faithful reconstruction or a traditional musical show might be surprised by the project's offbeat tone and deliberately composite form.

BART imagined Victor Hugoat the end of a simple premise: Victor Hugo, with his breath, rhyme and commitment, could have been a rap star if he'd lived today. This show would extend this intuition in a lively staging in which humor would play a leading role. References to current rap figures would be deliberately parodic, creating absurd yet educational bridges between eras.

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With Victor Hugoat, No. 1 in French rap, BART offers a funny, offbeat retelling of Victor Hugo's life, in a show that blends narrative, hip-hop culture and audience participation. A reinvented tribute to a literary monument, version 2025.

This article is based on publicly available information and is not the result of a viewing of the show.

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