Minnesota Fringe Festival 2010

Parlez-vous français? With stories of teen angst, classroom drama and a few French curses, Madame C invites you to the world of a high school French teacher. Sharpen your pencils, it's gonna be a bumpy night!

Pardon My French is a show about teaching and learning. Madame Campbell shares love of her students, her delight in the French language, her adventures in student travel, and the real truth about high school: America’s last great social equalizer.

Michele Campbell is a teacher, writer, and actor. She has been teaching French for Minneapolis Public Schools since 1998: the stories in this show were born from those years of experience. Bring your inner grammar geek, your love of funny sounds, your compassion for teen angst, and your sense of humor. This show covers everything from the most cringe-worthy high school moments to that magnificent sense of awe that comes when you put all the pieces together.

Ideal audience for Pardon my French:
People who teach.
People who’ve had teachers.
People who speak French.
People who took French in high school and never used it again.
People who thought they should take French in high school but didn’t.
People who know a teenager and want to know more about what makes them tick.
People who love France.
People who believe all French people are snotty and don’t like Americans.
People who want to nurture their inner grammar geek.
People who want to learn a few curse words in another language.
People who have always wondered why high schools are run by bells.
and
Anyone who’s ever said to a teacher, “Yeah, but you get the summers off.”

The stories performed in Pardon My French get right to the heart of the roller coaster that is the high school experience and what this teacher tries to do to connect with her kids in a significant way while maintaining her sense of humor.

Michele Campbell
Role: Writer and performer
Michele Campbell is a natural born storyteller. She has been teaching French for 12 years, taken 5 student groups to France, one to Montreal, and one to Martinique. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from Hamline University and studies improv at The Brave New Workshop.

Elisa Korenne
Role: Director
Elisa Korenne is a writer, composer, and performer based in rural west central MN. Ten years ago, dissatisfied with life in the field of international development, Korenne deliberated between two different artistic career paths: theatrical directing or singing/songwriting. After a decade as a professional singer-songwriter, Elisa is thrilled to have the opportunity to return to directing with Pardon My French. When not at the Fringe Festival, you can find Elisa on the road performing her original story-and-song concerts about unusual people in history. Check out www.elisakorenne.com to learn more about Elisa’s music, shows, and workshops.

User reviews

Quelle joie et quelle surprise
by Kevin Drew Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
A very nice look at what it means to be a teacher, or more importantly, what it means to be a good teacher. I have no doubt that Madame touches students lives in ways that they won't admit and their parents will never realize... it was wonderful to have a glimpse into that world for a night. Et si je pourrais vous assister apres la lecon, et umm... netoyer les tableux ou quelque chose...

Ooh La La
by Anthro Kate Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
I don't teach French, but I do teach. After a bit about standardized testing as a method of evaluation, I lost my merde I was laughing so hard.

Do they give a Heisman Trophy for rookie performances at the Fringe?

Merveilleux
by Allan Brown Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Les show a la Fringe tombent dans trois catégories; terrible, fabuleux, et sincère. C'est vraiment sincère afficher.

Son exposition m'a fallu revenir à mon cours de français que j'avais oublié. J'aurais dû Michelle au lieu de l'ex guérilla Angolais qui m'a enseigné français dans la secondaire quatre. L'histoire aurait pu être différente.

Merci Michelle

J'adore Mlle michele
by Gemma Irish Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Mlle Michele introduced me to Camus, Ionesco, and the future conditional. This show is a lovely meditation on teaching, learning, and living. I'm so happy to have had Michele as a teacher, and so happy to have seen this sold-out show. Je ne m'emmerde jamais!

Education vs. Entertainment?
by amihan huesmann Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
I got (literally) the last ticket for Wednesday's show, and am glad I did. I liked Michelle's visual aides and her delivery was funny and touching (sometimes simultaneously) but I wish we could have done away with the educational theory part of the show.

Having said that, she did cover some "political" topics with humor (unlike How to Fight Like a Girl), and the faux-classroom format worked well.

Allez voir cette piece
by Patricia Mack Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
OK - I had to use Google translator to be sure that my title was correct. This play is excellent---all parents of teenagers and voters for school boards should see it. Fantastic, educational and funny. Muy bien. We are so fortunate to have teachers like Michele working with our children. Wish I could go take her classes - French is NOT required to enjoy the production but you will learn some useful words. C'est vrai y la verdad.

Creative point of view
by Jude Meisner Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
I heard about this show thru the Alliance Francaise, so I expected more about French. My bad. Nevertheless, I liked this show. Her presentation is not perfectly polished, and the show seemed a bit didactic, but it was clever, funny, creative, thoughtful and made me feel good. Sitting next to my teenaged son and seeing what made HIM laugh was an education. Michele's characterizations are spang on. Her points may not be profound, but they are accurate, and help me stand back from the adolescent hormone storms and smile.

C'est dommage
by Romana Davison Follow this reviewer
Rating 2 kitties
From reading the description of this play I expected there to be much more focus on the French language. There was a bit of French in the beginning, and a short segment on swearing in French, but the rest of the play focused on experiences any high school teacher (not just a French teacher) could have had. Her commentary on the life of a teacher (and of her students) was not very insightful. On the whole, if you are expecting French, watch a French movie instead.

Great Teacher
by Ronald Laudner Follow this reviewer
Rating 3 kitties
I would have loved it if Michele had taught my children in any class... Not so sure about drama class... one should "learn" their script to help with the performance.

Pas tres Bon
by Kathy Douglass Follow this reviewer
Rating 2 kitties
I am sure Michelle is a tremendus teacher. I would be thrilled if she taught my kids. But being an excellent educator does not make you an excellent performer or playwright.
Passion for her profession aside, there was nothing interesting or original in this show. The halting grasping for lines and the constant referring to the crib notes taped to the floor was amateurish.

Based on previous reviews I was expecting something more along the lines of Late Night Catechism.

Michelle is an engaging person and has a delightful personality. But that isn't enough. And I second what a previous reviewer said - Johhny Depp is not married.

A Certain "je ne sais quoi"
by Michael Krefting Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
I never took French, but felt very comfortable during the performance. I thought it was well paced and a good mix heavy material and comedy. It'll make you laugh, cry, remember the 'good old days' and why you only want to remember them and not relive them.

Superb - Bravo!
by Erin Maurelli Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
A wonderful performance from Fringe Fest Newbie - Michele Campbell! This comedy is sprinkled with tragedy and served warm as a crepe - with a side of French swear words tossed in for good measure.

Hers is a true-life story of Life within the Minneapolis Public School System. Madame C lets you in on a few little secrets to her success and daily survival with High School students.

I was there on opening night, and there was a moment about 3/4 through where the show's energy dipped and never really recovered. Now, I am optimistic that was just jitters and subsequent performances have been better.

Very entertaining! Looking forward to more from this performer.

Tres Bien
by Rochelle Eastman Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Perfect? Non. Pretty funny and insightful? Oui! Although there were some slow moments, Madame managed to be humorous and, without turning too professorial, presented some insights about teaching and teenagers. She gets extra credit for continuing a serious moment of dialog with a cell phone ringing TWICE. (If the timing had been different I wished she would have confiscated the phone much like a high school teacher.)Fun for anyone who ever studied a language, has teenagers, or can still remember high school.

Standing Ovation!
by feesh ette Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
I don't speak French, I don't have kids, but I really loved this show! She is very personable, and received a Standing O at the end of her show. ANYONE who went to high school will be able to relate to this show. Ever wonder what your teachers thought when you wanted to turn something in late? Ever wonder if they noticed that the one loner kid in the back? (they do.) Parts of this show were hilarious, and parts were moving. She has a great delivery style.

Other reviewers seemed to dislike her very personal approach to the topic of her career... but it's a one-woman non-fiction show ABOUT her career experiences. It isn't a woe-is-me show, nor is it preachy. It's just a VERY pleasant way to spend a Fringe hour!

Ooh la la, indeed.
by Brian Beatty Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
This first-time Fringer has put up an entertaining and educational one-woman show. Michele's writing and delivery sparkle. Her laugh lines have punch. Her more introspective moments hit exactly the right notes, mood-wise. Her interaction with the audience appears effortless, too.

So why did I withhold one sad kitty? There were a few moments where I felt the show took on a lecturing tone. And I expected a lot more French swearing.

Pretty good
by Publius McGee Follow this reviewer
Rating 3 kitties
I speak French, so according to the advert I was part of her target audience. However, I think her target audience was actually fellow educators - about half the show was made up of her essentially failing to make a relevant connection between her experiences and the rest of the world. Much like a new parent fascinated by the contents of their baby's diaper, she (understandably) by default appears to think that teaching high school French is the most interesting thing ever. For most people, though, it's not, and without more generally relatable stories it falls a bit flat.

That being said, her enthusiasm for teaching, love of the French language, and concern for her students shines easily through, and I imagine she is an exceptional educator. Many bursts of humour popped up throughout the show, and her tongue-in-cheek summary of what we had learned that day was a nice touch.

The blocking was distracting - she got up and moved around purposelessly far too frequently. One final nitpick - Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis aren't married.

Almost there
by Paul Mattes Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
An entertaining disgorging of the stresses and rewards of being a high school French teacher. Most of the pieces are quite well done, though the show seemed to lose a little bit of steam halfway through and the transitions and graphics (though intended to look homemade) could use a bit more polish.

Michele gets extra kudos for maintaining her composure when someone's cell phone went off during the most sensitive part of the show.

I know a few more French words.
by Todd Wardrope Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Michele combines a smart, sexy and sophisticated presentation with an earnest look at what it is like to teach, how it is to teach, and most importantly, what it means to teach.

While it may be true that the transitions from comedy to memoir could be a bit smoother, the timing is intuitive and anticipated the audience's attention span. Her use of the stage and ability to inhabit various characters elevated the show beyond similar "performances".

Most importantly, the show delivered on what it promised. Expecting perfection in Fringe is missing the point, what is more important is that this show took risks and discovered something worhtwhile in the process. Michele takes her audience seriously, and for that, I can only envy her past and current students.

Amazing!!
by Ray Pryor Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Madame Michelle really shines here! You laugh, you want to cry, and you are amazed at the range of her delivery. From social commentary to adolescent akwardness, she nails it on every delivery.
Great pace and tempo. The time flies by!
Plus she teaches you how to swear in French!
I would recommend this to ANYONE and EVERYONE who remembers high school or has a child in high school.
I can't wait to see what Madame Michelle comes up with next!!

Wow! Great show
by Cynthia Callanan Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Mme Campbell delivered an awesome show - entertaining, funny, and educational! Michele shares the brutal reality of teaching in an urban high school with genuine caring, humor and insight. Keep it up!

Unfulfilling
by Nadine Sehnert Follow this reviewer
Rating 2 kitties
When I first saw the postcard for this show at The Turtle Bakery I was quite intrigued. I took French in high school and as someone who currently works in various school environments I looked forward to her take on today's students from a French teacher's perspective. I was equally excited when I saw the previous reviews after the first show.

Unfortunately, for me the show fell a bit flat. The lecture parts of the show, while informative, were uninspired. Having to watch someone pace back and forth also made me want to look at a watch that I wasn't wearing. The pacing of the show was stilted. Most of the comments and impersonations of students were cliche' and I felt that with more work this play could go a bit deeper into what it is to be a teacher today in a more personal vs comedic manner.

I applaud Ms. Campbell for her many years of teaching and can see why she must be very popular with her students. Hopefully, we can see another work from her in the future that goes a little deeper.

A Must See
by Heather Hemmer Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Madame Michelle is amazing in this very humorous play! It has a little bit of something for everybody. Get a lesson in how to speak some French and learn a lot from a very educated teacher.

Trop bien, Mme!
by Clark Rahman Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Every former student and anyone interested in the Minneapolis Public School scene should come to this show. It offers intelligent insight into what today's school system is like along with a comic ride. I loved the interaction with the audience! Brava!

I remember how to swear again!
by Nick Decker Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
An admission upfront: I took French all through high school, and almost graduated college with a French minor. Michèle Campbell (writer, performer, and actual French teacher) creates a space that draws me 15 years into the past, yet delivers a twisted spin irreverent enough to keep me from passing out during a lecture, as I was wont to do.

The transitions from French lesson to meditations on student/teacher life seem incongruous at times, and many of the anecdotes Mme. Campbell relates to the audience are teaching experiences I have heard retold by my own friends and family with careers in secondary education. But her enthusiasm, some rousing audience participation, and her genuine love of her vocation make an enjoyable show.

Awesoe show
by David Hall Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
This was a great show that everyone should go see. Michelle does an excellent job of balancing humorous stories with stories about some of the difficulties she has faced as a teacher.

Oui!
by Steven Anderson Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
This is a wonderful show that you don't want to miss! Michelle provides a warm and insightful look inside the classroom of a modern inner-city school. With a perfect balance of humor and pathos, she tells a story we all need to hear.

Fun, French, and Factual for real.
by Tianna Pilipovic Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Pardon My French was lovely. Everything from the name to the French swear word vocabulary lesson was brilliant.

Now, full disclosure, I might be a little biased. But only a little bit, I promise. Madame (Michele) Campbell was my French teacher for two years.

I went in not quite knowing what to expect. The subheading of the show is, "An Exploration in Teaching and Learning". It was that, and so much more. It was an opportunity to see what high school is like from the perspective of the teacher and the student through the teacher's eyes. Because as Madame says in the show, "adolescence is excruciating", and let's be honest, it really is, but clearly being a teacher is no walk in the park either.

Through the course of the show we are taught about everything from the crazy excuses highschoolers come up with, to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, to how unbelievably hard it can be not to sway a student one way or the other when your guidance is sought on an incredibly difficult subject.

Michele Campbell is charming, funny, witty, and most importantly, honest. Everything she said and did was so genuine. The stories of silly teenage drama, high school being the "last great equalizer", and the general talk about the slippery slope that is a teacher/student relationship all rang very true for me.

It's funny, educational, and at times sad. I cried. But mostly funny, really really funny. Plus the programs are awesome.

Also, as an audience member, you are taught different uses of the word, "merde" and who doesn't want that? If you don't know what merde means you certainly will after this show.

Basically go see this show, it's definitely not merde. At all.

Pardon My French
by LaRae Ellingson Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
You don't have to be a French teacher to enjoy this show. It is hilarious and touching, thought-provoking and straightforward, well-written and well-acted. It was over too soon. Hope to see more from this woman!

Magnifique!
by Elodie Hubbard Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Great fun! Mme C. does a beautiful job of bringing the audience along for the highs/lows and fun/"merde" of teaching (French). If you've ever taught, or been in school, you will leave this performance with a smile. No French background knowledge required. Mme. C will teach you the important stuff! Merci!

Fantastique!
by Mike Grandys Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
This is a GREAT show! Michele sheds new light onto the teaching profession and the life of the modern student with grace, humor, and charm. I was moved by the authenticity of her experiences, both touching and funny. GO SEE IT!!! Merci, Madame!