Tareek: meeting with a ‘single dad’

• How did this Caribbean tour come about?
I’ve been to the Caribbean before for ‘multi-artist’ line-ups, but this is my first solo tour. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. So here we are, with four dates lined up: one in Guadeloupe, one in Martinique and two in Saint Martin. For Saint Martin, we’d announced the date, and half the tickets had already been sold before we’d even started promoting it. So we decided to add a second performance. Now, all that’s left to do is get on with the job!

• And is the show based on your own life story?
Actually, I’ve been bringing up my daughter since she was six months old, and she’s now 13. We’ve been on quite an adventure together, and that’s what I talk about on stage. Now she’s a bit more critical of the sketches, and she helps me too – particularly with teenage expressions; if something’s not quite right, she sets me straight. She’s a bit of a co-writer for the show, even though she’s not at all interested in this line of work. For an hour and 20 minutes, I talk about that whole period – my divorce, my life as a father and as a man after the split – but also the complexity of bringing up a child on my own, especially when it’s a little girl. They’re two completely different worlds and two completely different energies. I adapt. 

• Can you combine personal confessions with humour?
I do, in fact, talk about a lot of things that have happened to me and which are very personal. I’ve had to learn to be a dad and to manage on my own, but I’ve also got into the habit of taking my daughter everywhere – whether it’s to shows, on set, abroad or on tour. It’s no longer a hassle for me. And for her, it’s just what Dad does for a living, that’s all. And in a way, it’s all quite funny because I think people recognise a bit of themselves in it, even though it’s not just a show for single or divorced parents. There are certain dynamics at play, even when you’re in a relationship. Nobody’s left out. Come and discover the life of a clumsy dad and you’ll have an unforgettable time, because there’s also plenty of interaction with the audience and a few moments of improv. But rest assured, I don’t make fun of the audience; I just ask questions, always with kindness and lots of love.

• What’s next after the holidays?
It’s back to Paris for a major tour of the capital and the regions with a new show called ‘Grandir ensemble’. We’ll keep 20 per cent of the current show, but everything else will be new. The other new development for the autumn is a change of producer – I’ll be working with Arthur. It’s set to be a great adventure with lots of TV programmes for TF1. We’ll be bringing back ‘Vendredi tout est permis’ in the autumn, as well as ‘Le Grand Concours’. In August, the programme “Le Dernier Cercle” will also be broadcast, but I’m not telling you how far I got…•

Four dates, three islands… but Saint-Martin to settle down?
I’d been there once before, a very long time ago, but I’d only stayed for two days. Last December, I came for the festive season and that’s when I fell completely in love with Saint Martin. I’d planned to come back in July for the holidays and I also wanted to perform here. I’ve managed to combine the two. I have a long-time friend who lives on the island and who’s been urging me to come and live here, and to be honest, the idea’s been playing on my mind. I love the setting, the tranquillity. I get up very early in the morning and look out at the sea. I could spend hours gazing at it – it really recharges my batteries! I prefer the French side to the Dutch side, which is too noisy for me – there’s too much going on! I don’t know, but the colour of the sea, the colours of nature, the calm… Saint Martin really is an island I love very much. We’re already thinking of coming back in December and, why not, staying there for longer one day… my daughter’s on board!
Interview by Ann Bouard*
Performances: Friday 31 July and Saturday 1 August at 8.00 pm. 
Tickets (€40) on sale at https://www.bizouk.com/.../tareek-a-saint-martin/123529