Days in the office, evenings on stage; in parallel to a career in business, Hinde Daoui (E04) presents her one-girl-show Fille unique [Only Daughter] at Le Bout theatre in Paris until January. She takes her audience through the clash between childhood dreams and adult life, parodies of pop songs and how Christopher Columbus’ mother laid on the guilt. Interview.

ESSEC Alumni: How did you end up in comedy? 

Hinde Daoui: I’ve always loved live performance, whether on stage, backstage or as a member of the audience. I joined the Musical Society at ESSEC, with whom I was lucky enough to perform at the Olympia in 2001 for a very young audience, well before the existence of TikTok. When I entered the working world, I continued to perform in amateur musicals with other former Musical members, I sang in various concerts, and took courses in improvisation, drama and improvised musical comedy. In 2019, and out of sheer curiosity, I took a trial class in amateur stand-up comedy at the Cours Clément. That very first class won me over. I found it particularly exciting to write and perform my own texts and see their immediate impact on the audience – to see if I could get a laugh or not... 

ESSEC Alumni: How did you go from amateur to professional stand-up comedian? 

H. Daoui: After a year at the Cours Clément, I auditioned for professional evening classes at the École du One Man Show. Training lasted two years; the first year was devoted to learning stand-up and comedy sketch techniques, and the second to developing our own act together with our own texts and performance style. At the end of each year we performed at Point Virgule, Paris’ legendary comedy venue. For this show, I wrote a ‘30/30’, a performance with another comedian, during which each person does 30 minutes on stage. Up to that point, I’d been working in a company at the same time. I then took sabbatical leave to create my own show. 

EA: What was the process behind creating your show? 

H. Daoui: I worked with acting coaches (teachers and friends), writing coaches (the author Jérémie Desrochers), the stage director Delphine Grand, who I had met at the Ecole du One Man Show, and the Studio Maje creative studio to develop the visual identity of my show. My friends and family were also supportive. Then I just had to get out there and perform. I started with two one-off dates at the Le Bout theatre in Paris before taking part in the Avignon Festival on the stage of La Tache d’Encre café theatre. Right now, I’m booked at the Le Bout theatre again, for one show a month until January.

EA: What is Fille Unique about? 

H. Daoui: It’s a flashy one-girl show. People often say that only daughters are princesses. I like to think that I’m not just an only child, I’m also and above all a unique girl. I take my audience into a crazy fairy tale, a blend of stand-up, sketches and song, so we can all laugh about the challenge of being an adult without forgetting our childhood dreams. It’s a sparkling show that will awaken the child inside you!

EA: How would you define your comedy style? 

H. Daoui: I like to call myself the ‘Katy Perry of Comedy’, while waiting for her to become the ‘Hinde of Pop’...My comedy is flashy - candy pink on the outside, but gradually revealing a sting and a touch of dark humour. I present colourful characters, from Christopher Columbus’ guilt-tripping mother to the toxic friend we’ve all had at some stage, or my teenage ‘Party Queen’ self. Certain moments explore the clichés surrounding only children, everyday racism, childhood dreams that are forgotten too soon in an adult life weighed down by the ‘good student’ syndrome, or how it is impossible to party with friends who become parents. I also parody songs to reveal my unhealthy fascination for Disney, my obsession with Céline Dion and the wannabe pop star in me.

EA: How have audiences reacted to your show so far? 

H. Daoui: So far, the feedback has been fairly enthusiastic! The words that come back often are ‘energetic’, ‘colourful’, ‘endearing’ or ‘reconnecting with childhood’. 

EA: What is next for your show? 

H. Daoui: I want to continue performing my show in Paris, but I’d also like to get some bookings elsewhere in France and take part in festivals, in particular Avignon in 2024, but with a full show this time. 

EA: Do you think you can juggle a career in a company with that of a comedian? 

H. Daoui: I manage to. At the beginning, I devoted my evenings and weekends to this project. I then negotiated four-fifths working time for several months before freeing up my time completely during my sabbatical leave. When I returned to the office, the first task I was given was to create and lead a training course in humour in the workplace! I always find a balance. 

EA: Where and when can we see your show? 

H. Daoui: Come and see Fille Unique on Sundays 5 November, 3 December and 7 January at 6.30pm at the Le Bout theatre in Pigalle. You can book tickets from the usual outlets. And don’t hesitate to follow my latest news on Instagram, Tik Tok and Facebook !

Interview by Louis Armengaud Wurmser (E10), Content Manager at ESSEC Alumni.
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