When the curtains rose on The Night’s Avenger, the musical written and directed by two Ermitage teachers with the precious help of volunteer parents, the audience had no idea of the incredible adventure unfolding backstage for the student-actors. Among them was Mathis, a passionate student who took on a major challenge: playing two radically different roles - the tyrannical captain of the guard and the king’s tender yet clumsy jester, while also contributing to the choreography and set design. Between laughter and nerves, in this interview, he shares the preparation process, moments on stage, and the impact this theatrical adventure has had on him. A journey behind the scenes of a collective project where theatre is far more than a performance: it is a place of passion, learning, and personal growth.

What role did you play in the musical?

I played two roles: Tyranos, the king’s captain of the guard and the antagonist of the play in the first run of the show, and Timmy, the king’s jester and the main character, in the second night’s performance. I managed to portray both roles as best as I could by adapting my acting style, even though they were radically opposed.

What did you like most about your characters?

What I loved most about Tyranos was, firstly, his treachery. Through his cruelty, hidden behind a noble façade, the character offered a particularly interesting performance challenge. His raw vileness makes him thoroughly detestable. The way he holds nothing back while acting like a scornful aristocrat, making each confrontation as humiliating as possible - whether in verbal sparring or duels - makes him a pure antagonist, which was great fun to play. When I played Tyranos, I let myself be carried by the lines and the feelings I was meant to convey, and this instinctive acting style, combined with the character’s complicity with his henchmen, made the role thrilling to perform.

Timmy, on the other hand, stands out for his tenderness and sensitivity. What I particularly liked about him was that he never really learns, making him similar to a hero from a Veber film. For instance, he tries to learn sword fighting, but even after fifteen days of training with the best sword master, he’s still a terrible swordsman. The fact that this story isn’t a hero’s journey gives the character a partly naïve, partly cheerful quality that makes his role the more touching to play.

How did you feel before, during, and after the performance?

Before the show, I was a bit stressed about not being able to portray Timmy as well as Tyranos since I found it much easier to play the latter. Timmy turned out to be surprisingly difficult to play because, unlike Tyranos, he isn’t as caricatured. I had to fully immerse myself in the role, but I managed to perform it properly on the day of the show.

During the performance, I didn’t feel anything. I was completely focused, and I didn’t have to think about my lines; they just flowed instinctively. By leaning into this actor’s instinct — feeling the movements as my character would, instead of mechanically reciting lines as I had during rehearsals — I was able to handle complications that arose during the performance. For example, I once had to improvise dialogue when I asked for a pitcher at the tavern that had already been placed on the table. My character, who was supposed to sweet-talk someone he openly despised, was meant to say, “Bring a pitcher of your finest wine for my friend Yogolo!” Instead, I improvised, “Ah, we got off on the wrong foot, you and I, here, let me pour you some of this fine local wine…” I can’t really say these moments were stressful; I was so deep in the role that it felt natural, and I was able to continue the dialogue seamlessly afterwards.

Although I wasn’t stressed on stage, a few minutes after the performance, I started trembling a bit. But the excitement of the moment quickly cut off those tremors as I stepped forward to bow to the audience. I was genuinely surprised. I’m very demanding of myself, both academically and on stage, so I was pleasantly surprised by the success I hadn’t fully expected. 

What was your secret to successfully playing two lead roles?

My success can be summed up in one word: passion. Theatre has long shifted from being a duty to a burning passion that drives me to give my all to be worthy of the stage. This passion kept me awake, learning my lines and performing them faithfully to the expectations of each scene and character. Talent alone wasn’t what carried me through; repetition, patience, and willpower are the keys to this art. Only by aligning these elements within myself could I take on this responsibility. In my view, excellence isn’t an art; it’s a habit. We become what we fight for. Of course, this didn’t come without sacrifices; I had to let go of many opportunities and other passions. For instance, I gave up my competitive judo career for the entire year to dedicate myself to these roles, but even now, I have no regrets.

These two roles weren’t my only responsibilities; I was also in charge of selecting the interlude music, creating some set pieces like the prison bars, and choreographing all five martial arts scenes on top of training the other actors.

Where did you get the inspiration for the fight choreography?

My inspiration came mainly from fighting games like Dark Souls and Sekiro. Some of their flashy moves were perfect for the character of Tyranos. These games provided a foundation I could build on, since I had absolutely no prior experience in sword fighting or choreography. I even spent entire evenings watching martial arts choreography videos to absorb knowledge and create something original, coherent, and simple enough for the cast to execute while wielding swords.

How do you prepare before going on stage?

I don’t review my lines beforehand; on the contrary, I don’t want to stress myself out. Everything that needed to be done has already been done by then. At that point, I just need to refocus and move forward.

I prepare by doing breathing exercises (box breathing), clearing my mind, trying to forget myself for a moment to better centre myself, and listening to my favourite music playlist from NieR Automata. The music from this game franchise carries a serenity and calming atmosphere that is hard to describe, and its mystical feel helps me escape into these fictional universes before stepping on stage.

What has this adventure taught you about yourself?

This adventure opened my eyes to the many horizons of theatre. If The Colours of Life, the previous Ermitage International School musical, was what first sparked the passion within me, The Night’s Avenger helped keep that flame alive. Now, I find myself thinking about where this incredible journey might lead next, and I don’t want it to end anytime soon. For me, continuing theatre would mean continuing to dream because even after several years of doing it, I still approach it with the heart of a young child with a constant sense of wonder.

Do you have a funny anecdote or an unforgettable moment to share with us?

Here’s a small anecdote for context about the heroine of the play, Daphnée. Her name was inspired by Princess Daphne from the legendary Dragon’s Lair game series: a notoriously difficult game where a knight has to save Princess Daphne from a dragon’s lair. Mr. Erny, the musical’s creator,  is a huge fan of this game and used to clear it effortlessly in arcades, while others struggled to get past the first levels! It’s one of his favourite games, and despite his role as a music teacher and director, you’d be surprised to know that he’s also an expert in creating fantasy worlds and adventures through role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons. His passion for fantasy has even spread to his children and some of his former students…