View Finders

Amid French shock and mourning, Philadelphia’s Bastille Day celebrates ‘power to the people’

    By
  • Jonathan Wilson
    • July 17, 2016
  • During the Bastille Day performance, Sandy Korenkiewicz holds up a portrait of Marie Antoinette

    During the Bastille Day performance, Sandy Korenkiewicz holds up a portrait of Marie Antoinette. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • Honoring the victims of the Nice terrorist attack, the French flag was lowered to half-staff.

    Honoring the victims of the Nice terrorist attack, the French flag was lowered to half-staff. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • Reading a proclamation opposing tyranny, Jeannie Brooks portrays Benjamin Franklin.

    Reading a proclamation opposing tyranny, Jeannie Brooks portrays Benjamin Franklin. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • An executioner, portrayed by Eastern State Penitentiary's Sean Kelly, slices watermelons in half with a guillotine.

    An executioner, portrayed by Eastern State Penitentiary's Sean Kelly, slices watermelons in half with a guillotine. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • A spectator catches half of a watermelon thrown to him by 'executioner' Sean Kelly.

    A spectator catches half of a watermelon thrown to him by 'executioner' Sean Kelly. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • Bearded Ladies’ John Jarboe, playing Edith Piaf, greets the crowd at the beginning of the Bastille Day performance.

    Bearded Ladies’ John Jarboe, playing Edith Piaf, greets the crowd at the beginning of the Bastille Day performance. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • Erin Markey, playing Joan of Arc, rouses the crowd

    Erin Markey, playing Joan of Arc, rouses the crowd. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • The Bastille Day performance featured numerous contemporary songs by artists including John Lennon, Elton John, Prince, and Queen. Here John Jarboe as 'Edith Piaf' leads the troupe.

    The Bastille Day performance featured numerous contemporary songs by artists including John Lennon, Elton John, Prince, and Queen. Here John Jarboe as 'Edith Piaf' leads the troupe. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • Hundreds of spectators filled the 2100 block of Fairmount Avenue.

    Hundreds of spectators filled the 2100 block of Fairmount Avenue. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • Members of the crowd waved their hands back and forth to a renditon of the Queen song 'We Are the Champions' sung in French.

    Members of the crowd waved their hands back and forth to a renditon of the Queen song 'We Are the Champions' sung in French. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • Kristen Bailey, playing the last baguette in Paris, pleads with 'Marie Antoinette' who is atop the walls of the penitentiary. To the right is the character 'Sexy Butter,' played by Virgil Gadson.

    Kristen Bailey, playing the last baguette in Paris, pleads with 'Marie Antoinette' who is atop the walls of the penitentiary. To the right is the character 'Sexy Butter,' played by Virgil Gadson. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • Marie Antoinette, played by Terry McNally, scowls from the top of the penitentiary walls.

    Marie Antoinette, played by Terry McNally, scowls from the top of the penitentiary walls. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • After she is in custody, 'Marie Antoinette' smiles as she is jeered by the crowd.

    After she is in custody, 'Marie Antoinette' smiles as she is jeered by the crowd. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • Members of the crowd vie for a chance to catch Tasteykakes thrown from the top of the prison walls by Marie Antoinette's minions.

    Members of the crowd vie for a chance to catch Tasteykakes thrown from the top of the prison walls by Marie Antoinette's minions. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • Jim Naughton of Philadelphia nibbles on a Tastykake while other members of the crowd reach skyward to catch one.

    Jim Naughton of Philadelphia nibbles on a Tastykake while other members of the crowd reach skyward to catch one. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • During the finale, Virgil Gadson, playing 'Sexy Butter,' leads the ensemble dancing to the Prince song 'Let’s Go Crazy.'

    During the finale, Virgil Gadson, playing 'Sexy Butter,' leads the ensemble dancing to the Prince song 'Let’s Go Crazy.' (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • At the conclusion of the Bastille Day performance, 'Marie Antoinette' and 'Edith Piaf' make amends, sparing Antoinette the guillotine.

    At the conclusion of the Bastille Day performance, 'Marie Antoinette' and 'Edith Piaf' make amends, sparing Antoinette the guillotine. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

  • Visiting the United States, Florian Euzen of Paris, France, came to see Philadelphia’s Bastille Day festivities.

    Visiting the United States, Florian Euzen of Paris, France, came to see Philadelphia’s Bastille Day festivities. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

Undeterred by mid-afternoon thundershowers, revelers and Francophiles by the hundreds filled the 2100 block of Fairmount Avenue on Saturday to celebrate Bastille Day.

On Thursday, a terrorist drove into crowds celebrating Bastille day in Nice, France, killing 84 people. So, with the French flag lowered to half-staff, Bearded Ladies Cabaret Artistic Director John Jarboe, as influential chanteuse Edith Piaf, starting things off by leading the crowd in a rendition of John Lennon’s “Power to the People.”

Heavy hearts gave way to a raucous parody of the storming of the Bastille and mock execution of Marie Antoinette by the Bearded Ladies.

This was Philadelphia’s 22nd Bastille Day celebration, according to London Grill owner Terry McNally, who has traditionally played the part of the French queen. The Eastern State Penitentiary, which once housed Al Capone and Willie Sutton, was reimagined for one day as the French Bastille and a refuge for Antoinette.

  • WHYY thanks our sponsors — become a WHYY sponsor

Using the French motto “Liberté, égalité, fraternité,” the ensemble combined a humorous review of French history with an acknowledgment of contemporary social and political issues. The show featured the return of Benjamin Franklin along with historic French notables Joan of Arc and Napoleon — who proclaimed his support for Donald Trump.

As in prior years, the highlight of the performance was Marie Antoinette shouting “Let them eat Tastykakes” from the ramparts of the “Bastille” as her minions tossed thousands of the baked confections to the cheering crowd below. With the prison taken and Marie Antoinette in custody, Piaf and the queen reconciled, sparing her the guillotine.

WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.

Brought to you by View Finders

You may also like

About Jonathan Wilson

Read more

Want a digest of WHYY’s programs, events & stories? Sign up for our weekly newsletter.

Together we can reach 100% of WHYY’s fiscal year goal

Donate
Learn about WHYY Member benefits
Ways to Donate