Improve your French and English on Stage: A Bilingual Theater Workshop in Paris
When French and English take the stage together
Every Thursday evening, the Pierre-Olivaint foyer comes alive. Participants from France and around the world gather to perform theater… in French and English.
Organized by the Club International de Paris, the French-English theater workshop encourages improvisation and scene-playing in a truly bilingual setting. Using plays, sketches, and movie scripts, everyone improves their French and English in a friendly, international atmosphere.
Open to both French and English speakers, this workshop promotes encounters that are beneficial to all. It quickly becomes clear that the concept is unique: the Club International de Paris has developed a format that cannot be found anywhere else. The ambition is clear: to become fluent in both languages, to feel confident speaking in both French and English, while having fun.
Artémis, a Greek-British-Swiss consultant and resident at the Pierre-Olivaint residence where the workshop takes place, sums it up as follows:
“Thanks to the Franco-English theater workshop at the Club International de Paris, I was able to practice speaking in both French and English. I saw how much it strengthened my eloquence, creativity, and communication skills.”
A three-step method for progressing and gaining confidence
A typical session begins with a 15-minute warm-up, where participants get moving, work on their breathing and voice, and break the ice.
This is followed by linguistic interaction and articulation exercises, improvisations, and small group work on texts in French and English.
Each session ends with individual and group feedback, a time when everyone can share their feelings, difficulties, and progress.
Amélie, a French-Syrian developer and workshop participant, explains:
“I decided to participate in the French-English theater workshop to improve in both languages, develop my public speaking skills, gain confidence, and feel more comfortable in front of people I don’t know. It’s also a way to improve my soft skills. The atmosphere is pleasant and dynamic: we laugh a lot, learn from each other, and discover new things at each session.”
Achraf, a Tunisian engineer and regular participant, emphasizes the atmosphere of trust that reigns
within the group:
“We alternate between individual work, on stage or in small groups. The atmosphere is very supportive, everyone can try, make mistakes, and start again.”
Self-confidence and bilingual fluency
For many participants, the workshop ticks several boxes at once. It allows them to work on public speaking, nonverbal communication, and confidence in front of an audience, while practicing French and English in a multicultural setting. Over the weeks, everyone sees concrete progress, whether in their self-confidence, their oral expression, or their relationship with languages.
Sarah, a French buyer and resident at the Pierre Olivaint residence, describes her experience as follows:
“The workshop allows me to practice both French and English, interact with people from different countries, and become more comfortable in both languages. After two months, I can see a real improvement in my speaking skills and my level of English thanks to listening and speaking practice in an environment where we sometimes speak only English.”
Dana, an event manager from Belarus, emphasizes the effect of bilingualism and the mixing of cultures:
“What makes this workshop unique is its bilingual and international atmosphere. You automatically become more open-minded because you’re navigating between two languages at the same time. It feels less like learning theater techniques and more like discovering how to communicate, react, and create with people who don’t necessarily share the same linguistic background. It brings a lot of freedom and curiosity.”
Different motivations, the same desire to learn
While some come primarily to improve their French or English, others are mainly looking to gain confidence, step outside their comfort zone, or simply rediscover the joy of acting. The workshop brings together a wide variety of people who all have one thing in common: the desire to express themselves, create, and meet people from different backgrounds in a supportive environment.
Achraf explains what made him take the plunge:
“I was looking for an activity that combined oral expression, creativity, and intercultural encounters. This isn’t exactly my first experience with theater, but I hadn’t done it in a long time and wanted to get back into it in a relaxed, pressure-free setting.”
For Shamrose, a German project manager, the workshop fulfills a long-held desire:
“I’ve loved theater since I was a child, both as a spectator and as an actor. However, it’s not always easy to find a place to practice, especially when it’s not your native language. The Club International de Paris offers a space to perform in French and English, meet people, and have fun in a relaxed atmosphere.”
Allan, a French archivist, sums up his choice in a few words:
“To improve my public speaking skills, improve my English, break the routine, and have fun. It has been a success on all four counts.”
A bilingual workshop to build confidence and broaden horizons
This workshop offers many benefits. Theater helps participants gain confidence and speak more easily in public. The workshop is unique in that it is bilingual: participants work in both French and English, allowing them to improve their skills in both languages while opening up to other cultures.
Regular participants often highlight this unique feature.
Achraf explains:
“What makes this workshop unique is really the mix of cultures and languages. In traditional workshops, we often stick to one language, with a generally homogeneous level. Here, participants come from all over the world, and switching between French and English makes the exercise more lively and fun.”
For Shamrose, the workshop’s identity also lies in its atmosphere:
“This workshop stands out for its friendly atmosphere, the variety of exercises, and above all, the fact that we work in two languages, which makes the experience truly unique.”
Amélie, who had never done theater before, also emphasizes this aspect:
“I find this Club workshop particularly original. It’s not just about improving your language skills: it’s also a space to meet people of different nationalities and share a convivial moment.”
A multicultural group
Participants come from a wide variety of backgrounds—entrepreneurs, students, employees, people undergoing career changes—and from different countries, creating a truly multicultural group. This diversity enriches both the artistic work and informal exchanges.
Achraf says:
“I would highly recommend it, without hesitation, to both French and international participants. It’s an ideal workshop for improving your oral fluency, meeting people, and above all, stepping out of your comfort zone in a very encouraging environment. It’s also a great way to practice a foreign language without it being academic or stressful.”
Shamrose adds:
“If you love theater, want to meet people, improve your language skills, or simply gain confidence, this workshop is ideal. I always have a lot of fun there.”
For Allan, the linguistic dimension is obvious:
“I recommend it for practicing English. It’s more interactive than a simple conversation and more lively. I imagine it must also be a fun way to learn French, less academic than what we’re used to.”
Amélie shares the same enthusiasm:
“I highly recommend this workshop. It teaches useful skills, enriches our personal culture, and helps us push our limits.”
A lever for employment and visible progress
The workshop also serves as a professional lever: it helps develop soft skills, gain fluency in speaking, improve English, and become more comfortable in communication. These skills make participants more confident in the job market and can facilitate their advancement.
Achraf testifies to the concrete effects:
“I feel more comfortable speaking, both in French and in English. I hesitate less to speak in public, I am more expressive, and I can improvise better. I also feel an improvement in my overall confidence and my ability to collaborate with people from different cultures.”
Dana shares a similar feeling:
“After two months, I feel much more relaxed in French, especially in spontaneous situations. The constant switching between French and English makes my brain more flexible, and I have become more comfortable with public speaking. I also feel more confident creatively. Overall, the workshop helped me relax, trust my instincts more, and enjoy the process.”
Shamrose also notices progress:
“I feel much more comfortable in French. I have more confidence, more creativity, and I am more fluent in speaking.”
For Allan, a French archivist, the assessment is also positive:
“I speak English more fluently and with more confidence, I’ve made some progress in acting, and I’ve discovered some beautiful texts.”
Amélie makes the same observation:
“After two months, I feel real progress: in French, in English, in my public speaking, and in my ability to be myself, without shyness or embarrassment.”
A space for artistic, linguistic, and human progression
Over the weeks, the French-English theater workshop has become much more than just a Thursday evening meeting. It is a space where one dares, where one surprises oneself, where one learns to listen as much as to speak.
Thanks to exercises, improvisations, and meetings, the participants not only work on a language or a technique: they refine their way of presenting themselves, collaborating, and reacting to others. Everyone moves at their own pace, supported by a multicultural and caring environment that encourages experimentation, the right to make mistakes and the pleasure of playing.
In the end, the French-English theater workshop of the Club International de Paris is much more than a theater or language course: it is a laboratory where one gains ease, openness and confidence, on stage as in life.
