Bash

The Mormon playwright and film director Neil Labute — (“In the Company of Men” 1997, “Nurse Betty” 2000, “Possession” 2002), is translated for the first time for the French stage. A trio of one-acts drawing on Greek mythology, “Bash: Scènes d’Apocalypse” (Bash: “Latterday Plays,” 1999), explores, in the author’s own words, “matter-of-fact brutality” orchestrated by ordinary people, or more particularly, Latterday Saints (the official name of the Mormon church). Pierre Laville directs. Tue-Wed, Fri-Sat 8:30pm, Thu 7:00pm, Sun 3:30pm, Studio des Champs-Elysées, 15 av Montaigne, 8e, M˚ Alma-Marceau, 34E/20E/10E, tel: 01 53 23 99 19

The Prefab Four

The witty and irreverent Dutch company of actors and musicians known as Orkater takes aim in its latest show at America’s first “boy band” and one of its most successful marketing coups: The Monkeys. A guaranteed trip down memory lane for anyone who can still hum along to hits like “Daydream Believer” and “Last Train to Clarksville,” “The Prefab Four” never dwells in nostalgia. Orkater has great fun deconstructing the making of a pop star, training a cruel light on aging wanabees trying to relive a success story that was never theirs to begin with. Mar 12-30, Tue-Sat 8:30pm, Sun 3:30pm, MC93 Bobigny, 1bd Lénine, Bobigny (93), M˚ Bobigny-Pablo Picasso, 22E/16E/6E, tel: 01 41 60 72 72

L’automne de mon printemps

The inventor in his native Tbilissi (Georgia) of an eclectic style of puppetry halfway between uncompromising realism and exuberant fancy, Rézo Gabriadzé imagines a postwar, Soviet wasteland to recount the adventures of Boria, a wise-cracking bird with a philosopher's soul. Mar 18-29, Tue-Sat 8:30pm, Sun 5pm, Théâtre de la Ville/Les Abbesses, 31 rue des Abbesses, 18e, M˚ Abbesses, 22E/15E/11E, tel: 01 42 74 22 77 (French subtitles)

Festival de l’imaginaire

The 2003 edition of the annual series of ethnic music, dance and theater hosted by the Maison des Cultures du Monde features the richly hued Balinese masked dance known as“Topeng” (Feb 28 to Mar 2), the exuberant“Bobongo” show of the Batwa pygmy people from the Democratic Republic of Congo (Mar 11-12), “Bunya Ningyo,” hand puppetry dating to the 16th Century from Japan’s Sado Island (Mar 14-16), and the spectacular, sacred “Teyyam” rite celebrated in India to recount the foundation myth of the god Kali (Apr 4-6). Feb 25 to Mar 30, info: tel: 01 45 44 72 30, www.mcm.ass.fr

Phèdre

The Odéon-Théâtre de l’Europe is closed until 2004 for extensive remodeling, but that hasn’t prevented it from staging the premiere production of the winter rentrée. Having chosen to return to the theater after a five year hiatus, director Patrice Chéreau cuts the ribbon at Odéon’s temporary digs in the 17th arrondissement. with a riveting production of Racine’s “Phèdre,” emphasizing desire’s inherent violence and starring the sublime Dominique Blanc.To Apr 20, Tue-Sat 8pm, Sun 3pm, Odéon-Théâtre de l’Europe aux Ateliers Berthier, 8 bd Berthier, 17e, M˚ Porte de Clichy, 13-26E, tel: 01 44 85 40 40

Compiled by Molly Grogan