Calamity Cabaret
L'Immédiat
Théâtre du Bois de l'Aune
Aix-en-Provence,
teaser 1ère partie
teaser 2ème partie
Presentation
For their latest adventure, Laurent Cabrol and Elsa De Witte have chosen a minamalist approach with a duelling nature and all of the "baggage" that goes with it... It is a true circus but in reduced proportions, simple and roughshod, an ideal vehicle for recounting a most unusual story...
The performance is captivating, makeshift, unwound and wound up, detailed and scrutinized; characters come to life and play their roles, creating a lyrical sort of machinery.
He is dressed in rags with a clown's face, a master of awkward movement. Hats pile one atop the other, they snag onto things, go flying, fit magically together. His hands give birth to an unbridled ballet, poetic and mechanical at the exact same time.
Both performers welcome us into their universes: a tent that is one size too small, seating at a perilous slope, and a starry performance space that abuts a workshop where hats, cloth, and material sits in piles. Surrounded by a gang of characters—tightrope walker, one-man band, acrobat—they conspire to create the illusion of a circus performance, rich in imagination and emotion.
Performance created by Laurent Cabrol et Elsa De Witte
With Laurent Cabrol, Elsa De Witte et Sokha
In the ring Laurent Cabrol, Elsa De Witte et Sokha
Character sculpture Steffe Bayer
Character creation Ana Mano, Thierry Grand
Music Mathias Imbert, Natacha Muet, Piéro Pépin, Eric Walspeck
Sound design Francis Lopez
Light design Hervé Dilé and Fabien Viviani
Seating design Fred Sintomer
Transport and assembly Nicolas Durand
Administration Les Thérèses
Special thanks to Antonin Bernier, Laurent Bonnard, To Quintas, Nino/Amalia/Mélinée
Production Bêtes de Foire – Le Petit théâtre de gestes / Association Z'Alegria
Coproduction Scène Nationale d 'Albi et Derrière le Hublot, Capdenac
This performance received creation subsidies from DRAC Midi Pyrénées regional arts and culture fund and the Midi-Pyrénées Regional Council.
"Elsa and Laurent could have come out of a comic book. Their little circus is a place to dream, to laugh, and to be amazed. In the great tradition of poetic artists, they miss out on everything they bring together and bring together everything they miss out on. Under their tent, they present a delicate performance that pulses to the rhythm of a beating heart." François Morel
"A pinch of Kantor, a memory of Calder, and a wisp of burlesque make Bêtes de Foire infinitely wonderful." Les 3 Coups
"This beautiful and delicate performance urges us to slow down, to let our guard down, to forget our material ambitions, and to make space for our dreams." La Gazette
The Petit Théâtre de Gestes brings together the circus artist Laurent Cabrol and the costume designer/actor Elsa De Witte. Laurent Cabrol co-founded the circuses Convoi Exceptionnel and Trottola, while also working with Raphaëlle Delaunay, the Romanès circus, and the Théâtre du Rugissant; Elsa De Witte has worked with a range of street theatre companies, notably the Babylone company. For the past 20 years, the two have joined forces to create, perform, and produce shows ranging from live circus to marionettes to dance. They have worked with diverse companies, teams, stages, costumes, tents, caravans…
These are true "carnival junkies"! They love to bring their travelling shows to urban environments and to leave their mark upon neighborhoods and audiences as they move from place to place. Their work evokes the glory of the physical arts and body language while exploring the countless possibilities of facial expressions, either with or without masks. Every performance is infused with the spirit and gestures of silent films.
