Lylybeth Merle

Born in Strasbourg in 1991, Lylybeth Merle is an author, director, drag performer, and queer activist. After studying drama at INSAS, she discovered a love for cabaret. She staged *LILITH(s)* in 2022, *Hippocampe* in 2023, and has been touring the traveling production *Cabaret Poème* since 2023. In her work, she blends the intimate with the poetic and advocates for care as a means of reconnecting with oneself and the world; vulnerability as a transformative force; and the sharing of personal experiences to foster a sense of collective self-discovery. Coming from a queer and underground background, she explores the institutionalized cultural landscape and works to build bridges between different spaces and audiences to rebuild a connection that she feels is all too often fragile. Through her writing, she speaks to those whose journeys, experiences, and misadventures are similar, in order to counter the feeling of isolation and loneliness. Equally, she seeks to connect with those who are unfamiliar with these issues—those who wish to discover, learn, and question together.