Le Tigre de Tasmanie: Lecture musicale & projection
English Title
The Tasmanian Tiger: Musical Reading & Projection
Creator
Vergine Keaton
Year
October 2018
Form
Reading, with projection of a short film & musical accompaniment. Reading of the texts of Empedocles by Adèle Haenel Projection of film Le Tigre de Tasmanie by Virgine Keaton Music by Les Marquises
Staged
Maison de la Poésie, Paris
Synopsis of the film that was projected
Le Tigre de Tasmanie (2018)
A Tasmanian tiger wanders around in his zoo enclosure. A glacier is slowly melting. Facing its predicted disappearance, nature exerts its fury, bursts over the frame and resists its extinction by transformation.
Trailer for the short film Le Tigre de Tasmanie
This film was projected during the reading & musical performance.
Synopsis of the Musical Reading & Projection
“This hybrid form is an augmented presentation of the animated film The Tasmanian Tiger by Vergine Keaton, through a reading of the writings of the poet and philosopher Empedocles set to music by the group The Marquises.
Vergine Keaton's film, showing in parallel the images of a Tasmanian tiger and a melting glacier, then of its fusion with the lava of a volcano, shows nature in action, deconstructing everything on its way before recombining its different elements into another form of landscape. Here we find the principles of Empedocles' philosophy, according to which life is moved by the cyclical alternation of two sovereign principles - unite-disunity, chaos-harmony. Principles that also resonate with the music of the Marquesas, built by repetitive and metamorphic layers.
Thus, the reading of the texts of Empedocles by Adèle Haenel, the music of the Marquesas, and the images of the film by Vergine Keaton will come to light up and complement each other.”
Empedocles (c. 490 B.C.E. – 430 B.C.E.) was a Greek pre-Socratic philosopher and a citizen of Agrigentum, a Greek colony in Sicily.
Empedocles conceived the ultimate reality as the unity of four permanent elements which he called “roots”: water, earth, air, and fire. Each element has its distinct characteristics. He taught that these elements are both spiritual and physical, and the principle of love and hate causes the combination and separation of these elements, thereby producing the diversity and changes of the world. His teachings portray love as the principle of unity and hate is that of destruction. Empedocles developed a cyclical cosmology that the cosmos repeats unity and destruction by alternate domination of love and hate.
Interview with the musicians about the performance
Notes
As an Australian it seems rather bizarre that an event entitled ‘The Tasmanian Tiger’ was performed in faraway Paris. Tasmania is the island state to the south of where I am—a beautiful place that you really should visit some time! The Tasmanian tiger, or thylacine, was a carnivorous marsupial; now extinct. It was the size of a medium to large dog, was striped (hence the 'tiger' in its common name), and had a pouch for its young to develop in, and a straight tail. It was an apex predator. It had lived historically in New Guinea (the huge island to the north of Australia) and in mainland Australia, but had gone extinct in those locations before European occupation of Australia. It had survived in Tasmania until European occupation, but through hunting, which was encouraged by bounties, pushed it close to extinction. Disease and the introduction of dogs also contributed to the rapid decline in numbers.The last captive thylacine was captured in 1933 and sent to the Hobart Zoo, where it lived for three years. It was during this time that the only footage of a Tasmanian tiger was filmed—62 seconds of black & white footage of it walking the perimeter of its cage, scratching, yawning and sniffing. He was not well looked after and died on 7 September 1936.
The footage of the last Tasmanian tiger in captivity pacing in its cage is familiar to me and (I think) to many Australians but, I am guessing, not to those outside Australia. It shows this poor creature walking around its miserable cage—destined to extinction… Vergine Keaton's short film (13 mins) of uses this footage of the Tasmanian tiger, along with that of a melting glacier, and of a volcano to illustrate the current parlous state of the world (at least that's my interpretation of the video...).
From the comic book by Fabrice Caro (aka Fabcaro), adapted by (the wonderful & talented) Maïa Sandoz.
Year
2018
Form
Play—Performed in the manner of a radio play.
Duration
50 mins
Synopsis
At a supermarket checkout, Fabrice is about to pay for his shopping. He slips a hand into his pocket in search of his loyalty card, but it cannot be found. As he tries in vain to justify his forgetfulness, the cashier calls security. Frightened, he fled. In a society where speech is free and judgment king, this incident quickly turns into a real manhunt.
About the production
After Zaï Zaï Zaï Zaï by Fabcaro
Stage direction
Paul Moulin
Adaptation
Maïa Sandoz
Sound creation
Christophe Danvin
With
Aymeric Demarigny
Blanche Gardin
Adèle Haenel
Cyrille Labbé
Aurélie Verillon
Élisa Bourreau
Maxime Coggio
Christophe Danvin
With the voice of
Serge Biavan
Artistic collaboration
Maïa Sandoz
Light creation
Emmanuel Noblet
Scenography & costumes
Paul Moulin
Sound recording, editing, & mixing
Jean-François Domingues
Production
Théâtre de L'Argument
Performed at
Le Monfort Theater
23 Jan to 9 Feb 19, 2018
Pulp Festival
6/7/8 April 2018
National Theatre of Brittany
February 26—March 2, 2019
About converting a comic book into a stage play (my bolding)
“We would nevertheless bet that Fabcaro is currently asking himself, and like everyone else, the big question: unless you absolutely want to offer a string of bad sketches in a pasteboard decor, is it very reasonable to pretend to adapt a comic strip on stage which, with its few pages, its dozens of characters, its almost identical boxes and its minimal line, its constant ellipses and breaks in tone, seems in every way inappropriate - or worse, typically the kind of work of which any fan would consider it a supreme scandal to want to adapt it? The answer is clearly no. Except to find a brilliant twist, as Paul Moulin and Maïa Sandoz were able to do: not to stage the comic strip in a naturalistic way, but to make it a radio fiction made at sight, with a noise maker and a sound boom, "To transcribe all the madness of the comic strip," continues Paul, "when staging, doing it to sound seemed more fanciful."
Anyone who has ever seen actors in the middle of dubbing or vocal creation has surely made the point: it is dramatically magnificent to see almost static actors in front of their microphones inventing the most impromptu timbres, to see them twist the face to condense the energy of a character in his only voice. To see them slide between incarnation and disembodiment, entering and leaving the game without having only spotted where the door was. We made reports and documentaries of it, more rarely shows. And it is this kind of pleasure that this Zaï Zaï… theatrical gives us , "that of seeing the technique at work", specifies Maïa Sandoz, that of "touching in a way what Diderot says in the paradox of the actor," underlines Blanche Gardin, the one who surely presents here the most extensible game palette, starting from the supermarket cashier to finish on the negotiating cop passing by the child or the old truck driver. “Being able to play 10,000 characters in a few minutes, and all that without moving or almost, you really have the impression of being at HP. And what it gives the spectator is surely the feeling of seeing puppets.” That also of feeling a rare and primary emotion, that of the pure pleasure of playing together - undoubtedly the ransom of what binds all these actors for years and which they brandish as a "politics of friendship".
Adèle is not in this clip, it is a season of a Théâtre de L'Argument production of the play that she was not in, but is really worth watching to get an idea of the energy of the play and the dynamics of the theatre troupe Adèle’s role
Many characters!
Note of intent, Paul Moulin, Director
How not to succumb to the charm of Zaï Zaï Zaï Zaï?
"At the first reading of this Fabcaro comic, we are struck by the devastating and absurd humour (not that much) of these 66 or so plates. This road trip prank is an opportunity for the author to tackle everyone: the police, teenagers, well-meaning artists, conspiracy theorists and, in a very good place: the media. In a state of emergency and ambient paranoia it is completely beneficial. The story is burlesque, with a very powerful political and social second reading. This separate work gives the sensation of looking at the world head-on, taking a side step so as not to get caught in the face. So it's totally gratifying. Fabcaro indirectly talks about tolerance and acceptance of the other. He denounces the security and cruel dysfunctions of our society or if we prefer "the bullshit". Zaï Zaï Zaï Zaï is by far the most modern and original dramaturgy that we have read in the last 2 years. A great desire is imposed today, sweeping away everything in its path: to take hold of this singular work, to decline it, bring it to the stage and make it heard."
This is another brilliant production from Théâtre de L'Argument that I would love to see performed! This time Maïa Sandoz has adapted a comic book that is well known in France and her co-founder of Théâtre de L'Argument, Paul Moulin, directs the play. The eight actors are set up as if performing a radio play, with sound makers (á la a radio play) also on stage to be part of the madness. The reviews are universally very positive, and the photos and video clips indicate that an evening of craziness would have been enjoyed by all in the audience. Hopefully, they will keep this in their repertoire and I will be able to attend a performance (as soon as this damned virus allows me to travel—there is a total ban on international travel from my country [Australia] that will probably last for years, literally…).
Reviews
‘From Aymeric Demarigny to Adèle Haenel, from Emmanuel Noblet to Aurélie Verillon, from Maxime Coggio to Élisa Bourreau, from Christophe Danvin to Cyrille Labbé, everyone successfully meets the challenge. It must be said that the earthy substrate provided by Fabcaro helps them greatly. Little by little, the troupe lets itself be won over by the touch of madness that submerges this story at the crunchy starting point.’
‘How not to succumb to the charm of Zaï Zaï Zaï Zaï? At the first reading of this comic strip by Fabrice Caro, known as "Fabcaro", we are struck by the devastating and absurd humor of these 66 boards. In this road trip prank, Fabcaro indirectly speaks of tolerance and acceptance of the other. He denounces the security and cruel dysfunctions of our society.
Paul Moulin and his accomplices seize this singular work, to bring it to the stage and make it heard in the form of a radio fiction. This above all sound device works the imagination of the spectator by suggesting decorations, interiors, exteriors, car accidents or gospel choirs. And is inspired by the minimalist features of Fabcaro in which postures count more than faces and details.’
“Zaï zaï zaï zaï is an exercise in style and a game of massacre. (…) Nothing sour, however, nor tragic in this rendering, because the moralist advances masked. A talented dynamiter, Fabcaro knows how to balance social criticism and bursts of laughter, sharp decryptions and poetic discoveries. A real joy to read.”
Stéphane Jarno, Télérama
‘A radio fiction made at sight, with a noise maker and a sound boom, some microphones and around fifty characters embodied by eight (excellent) actors.’
Eve Beauvallet, Liberation
The comic strip "Zaï Zaï Zaï Zaï" by Fabcaro on stage at the Pulp Festival 2018
‘The absurd farce of Fabcaro, critic of the consumer society and the functioning of the media comes to life at the Pulp Festival at La Ferme du Buisson in Noisiel. A caustic play performed by the company of the Argument Theater led by Paul Moulin and Maïa Sandoz with Blanche Gardin and Adèle Haenel.
Fabcaro's absurd and political comic strip, published in 2015 by Six pieds sous terre, crowned with several prizes, including the Grand Prix de la critique ACBD, became a play.
An effective minimalist staging
‘On the stage of La Ferme du Buisson Studio in Noisiel in the Paris suburbs at the Pulp Festival in 2018, a handful of actors are lined up. They are leaning in front of microphones, move little. To their left, noise makers. The staging, signed Paul Moulin (actor and director) is minimalist, as was Fabcaro's trait in the book. The piece looks like a radio fiction, but proof of the efficiency and the orality present in the comic, it works.’
“Upon arrival, there is a theatrical (or rather radio) adaptation, just as brilliant. Eight supercharged actors, installed in front of microphones, interpret the comic; only by sound. With their voice, they embody more than 80 characters and at the same time take care of the sound effects, using a multitude of objects (a computer keyboard, a plastic cup, a leek ...). This short show (50 minutes) takes Fabcaro's text to the letter and shows the extraordinary sense of rhythm of its author. The pleasure of seeing the actors, only focused on the sound, is also delicious (their faces are deformed, their bodies twist but their eyes remain fixed ...). You just have to close your eyes to realize the correctness of their performance. Delightful.”
Again, Théâtre de L'Argument has events for community education
The commitment of this acting troupe to putting on politically relevant productions that always achieve rave reviews AND they engage with the public and, frequently, with students, is truly admirable. I'm a fan!
Chat with the actors over a drink
‘The eight actors, who all work alternately on these roles, are all excellent. Special feature of the troupe: we can meet the actors over a drink, at the end of the play, with a little surprise bonus…. “In our troupe, conviviality is always one of the questions we ask ourselves when creating a piece. Our theatre is very critical of society, we are interested in extending the relationship created with the spectators." Said Maia Sandoz. We can therefore discuss with all the actors, including with Adèle Haenel, whose latest films "120 beats per minute" and "En Liberté" were a hit. "I continue to favour the theatre" explains the director, who we imagine is in great demand.’
In their isolated house surrounded by nature, Deeley and Kate, a couple in their fifties, are waiting for Anna. Twenty years ago, the two women, Kate and Anna, started life together. They shared a small apartment in London and a common passion for all the arts. Since then, they have never seen each other again, and Deeley says that he does not know Anna. But is it so safe?
In their house by the sea, Deeley and his wife, Kate, await the arrival of Anna, her youthful friend whom she has never seen. Kate doesn't remember much and Deeley pretends not to know her. Anna's arrival is like a memory that is embodied. She remembers everything. The play is a dive into memory, the secrets and fantasies of this trio. The past resurfaces. But everyone has a completely different version. What happened to them 20 years ago? Who is telling the truth? Is anyone lying? Who is Anna? Is she a caring friend or a ghost from the past?
Interview with Adèle & Emmanuel Salinger about Old Times
https://youtu.be/RXyyhqA4zUk [If you don't understand French, then turn on captions—French auto generated; then turn on 'auto translate' & select your language. It's not perfect, but it's pretty good.]
Notes
As with all of Adèle’s work in the theatre, she continues to work with friends. This time she has moved from her buddies at Theatre de l’Argument and is working with friends that she made in 2012 when she was in her first professional role in the stage in La Mouette at the Festival d’Avignon, directed by Arthur Nauzyciel. Some reviews were a bit mixed, with some seeing Adèle as too young for the role she played (Anna). This type of comment suggests that those reviewers did not understand that Anna was a ghost from the past, so had not aged as the other two characters had.
Excerpts from interviews with Adèle about this role
This interview reinforces our understanding of Adèle choosing roles to extend herself and that she likes to work with friends. These are two of the major things that have defined Adèle's career choices.
“But there is no question of dropping the theatre:
“It is a place where you learn a lot, where you shake up your habits, you go off your own beaten track. It goes against letting go. “
In Theatre as in cinema, she favours projects “with people I like”. Director Benoît Giros and actor Emmanuel Salinger, who plays the male role in the play, were actors with her in “La Mouette” directed by Arthur Nauzyciel in Avignon in 2012. “We got along very well and from there came the idea to redo something together.”…
" For two years, I haven't had too much time to bubble, " she admits, smiling. " But the theater is not the same rhythm as the cinema, it's softer. In the cinema, you feel the economic pressure. A day of shooting is so expensive that you can't miss it! "
“How did you end up in this Pinter Old Times? I met Benoît Giros and Emmanuel Salinger while playing La Mouette directed by Arthur Nauzyciel and we wanted to do a project together. When Benoît came up with this piece, we realised that it was the one that evoked the most things for the three of us.”
Is it difficult to play?
Yes, but I'm very happy with it. It allows me to search for myself, for my life, for my own relationship to things. Finally, I do not answer you so much to teach you things to you, as to seek to progress myself!”
Does that move you forward? Yes, the meeting with scenarios and especially theatre texts has changed my life. In cinema, it is especially important to live in the present moment; we have a familiarity, which goes beyond the idea, and which is due to a climate. It creates crazy solidarity.”
“In a very elegant setting by Alexandre de Dardel and the refined lights of Bertrand Couderc, Marianne Denicourt remains sumptuously beautiful and enigmatic while Adèle Haenel seduces with her astonishing vitality. Just for her two, the show is worth the detour.”
“Of course, Adèle Haenel seems much too young for the role of Anna. She has more than twenty years of difference with Marianne Denicourt! So the choice of this actress by the director Benoit Giros confirms the fact that Kate and Deeley do not receive a friend in reality, but summon her ghost from twenty years ago, during a conversation on their past. Rarely has spectrum been embodied. And that's good! At Pinter, the actors should never intellectualize their acting. That of Adèle Haenel is frank, sometimes abrupt. She knows how to occupy a stage, she is amazing, we never take her eyes off her.Its partners Marianne Denicourt and Emmanuel Salinger are also excellent, very nuanced.”
Here is an interview with Adèle when the play was on (or in rehearsal). She forgets to promote the play until the end of the clip. Most of the interview is about her film Les Ogres, and reminds us that through all these years she is juggling her career in feature films, short films and a substantial amount of work in the theatre.
