"SUR LA ROUTE..."
/ LES COLPORTEURS
Circus/Tightrope
9, 10, 11 october 2009
Fri 9.15pm, sat 8.15pm, sun 4.15pm
Open to all
When Oedipus goes on the road, it is to attempt, after the tragedy, to resume his life differently and find the balance that was lost. Inspired by the work of Henry Bachau, Antoine Rigot takes over the story of Oedipus. Creating a dialogue between the body of the injured man and that of a female tightrope walker, his duo represents a choreography of equilibrium. For this tightrope walker who had an accident in May 2000, this is also a new step in the reinvention of his art. Following Le fil sous le neige, this production is the second chapter of a triptych that deals with the wire in an infinitely personal manner, well beyond a mere exercise in virtuosity.
See synopsis (pdf in french/84kb)
In residence: 4-16 Feb 08 & 7-11 Oct 09
Following Le fil sous la neige, you will pursue this project with Sur la route... Is this show part of an autobiographical triptych?
Antoine Rigot : The duty to live that suddenly befell me was hard to accept and I had to do something with it. I started this triptych by what will be the third part, the solo. It was right at the beginning, I was having physiotherapy, I couldn’t move yet. When I came out, it was too hard for me to face my story alone on stage, so that’s how Le fil sous la neige was born. The second show will be much more intimate, but still shared.
How do you explain this line of thought?
Le fil sous la neige deals with a shared passion, I introduce and conclude the show, and the tightrope walkers appear throughout. It’s a way for me to resume my story as a tightrope walker. It is a great adventure of respect and trust, in which the performers, beyond their wonderful skills, bring to the proposal their own imagination and sensitivities. This allowed me to continue digging deeper into the art of the wire, and to start rebuilding myself. In this second show, we will attempt to deal with what gave me the strength to start again: the perpetual support, the attention, the very direct help that was given to me. We thus reach the essential, the relationship to others, and highlight the fact that in spite of a significant physical modification, it is still possible to live and to help and support others. Of course this can turn political: despite tragedy, and whatever form it takes, one should always be welcomed and have their place. This show also forces us to look at a situation which we may want to run away from.
Your starting point is Henry Bauchau’s “OEdipe sur la route”. What role does this book play in the final show?
There’s a sort of to-and-fro. There is no direct relation with the characters or the story, but the novel deals with tragedy and how to rebuild oneself after it. For years, this novel has been accompanying me and bridges have developed between the wandering journey of Oedipus and my own story. Also, Antigone clearly emerges in this journey, with her commitment, her care, her strength, her way of reacting to things, of giving energy, a sort of aura which I found in my own loved ones. The book is also a source of inspiration which allowed me to distance myself from my story.
Do you invent with your body a new way to be on stage?
After nine years, I am still positive but I know there won’t be any drastic change. The years of physio have asked so much of me for such as small result, but I cannot stop now as although my progress have been slow, I tend to regress much quicker. My body is as it is, and I have to find the strength to get up every day. Gradually, I started accepting it, and I learnt to love it again, to discover its possibilities, and I learnt a new form of equilibrium, a new physical language. It is also a psychological journey, everything becomes a terrible challenge, but there’s also a great sense of achievement for not giving up.
Is it a very personal story then?
Yes, but I didn’t confide in myself, there’s a whole team and under Cécile Kohen’s supervision, I have been writing with Sanja. She has an extraordinary sensibility. How she finds the strength to do this makes me admire her every day. I feel like she is just as committed as I am, which seems crazy, as she is able-bodied. For me, the fact we are so in tune is very important. The balance is also between us, in the way we feel. She firstly understands how physically and technically my body can work, and she jumps right in. The resulting fusion seems to be able to communicate things way better than most words would.
Background
Antoine Rigot is a tightrope walker who founded company Les Colporteurs in 1996 with his long-time friend Agathe Olivier. Besides partnerships with La Volière Dromesko or the Roncalli Circus, their first production entitled Filao, inspired by Italo Calvino’s The Baron in the Trees, mixes circus, theatre, dance and music. After touring for three years, in May 2000, Antoine had a serious accident. A year later, despite his handicap, he resumed his work as an actor and began directing. Asked by young tightrope walkers to teach them and share his knowledge, he produced in 2006 Le fil sous la neige. This show is the first step by Antoine Rigot to rebuild himself. It is the first chapter of a triptych, which will be followed by Sur la route... in 2009 and Le trou later on.
Sanja Kosonen, a female tightrope walker from Finland, trained at the Superior Circus School of Finland and the Centre National des Arts du Cirque. She has been involved in many productions, including Circo Aero’s Louisiana Circus. Her poetic presence and instinctual practice deeply moved Antoine, who asked her to work with him on the adventure of Fil sous la neige.
Cast and Crew
Created and Directed by Antoine Rigot. With Sanja Kosonen & Antoine Rigot.
Directing Assistant: Cécile Kohen. Scenography by Antoine Rigot & Patrick Vindimian. Lighting Designer and Engineer: Thomas Bourreau. Sound Designer and Engineer: Stéphane Comon.
Costumes by Florie Bel.
Technical Director/Stage Manager: Nicolas Legendre, Patrick Vindimian.
Stage Assembly: Sylvain Georget, Patrick Vindimian.
Artistic Partnerships: Elsa Quinette, Nicolas Bouchaud, Iris Bouche, Christophe Lelarge, Alix Quoniam, Kathleen Reynolds, Cécile Bon, and Bonaventure Gacon.
Residency & Co-production: Les Subsistances / Lyon / France.
Coproduced by Le Cirque-Théâtre d’Elbeuf, Centre des arts du cirque de Haute-Normandie / Equinoxe, Scène nationale de Châteauroux / Le Carré Magique, Scène conventionnée de Lannion-Trégor / La Ferme du Buisson, Scène nationale de Marne-la- Vallée / Bonlieu, Scène nationale d’Annecy / Le Maillon, Théâtre de Stras-bourg / L’Académie Fratellini, Saint-Denis / Le Cirque Jules Verne, Amiens / Les Migra-teurs, Associés pour les arts du cirque, Strasbourg. With the support of: La Fonderie, Le Mans / Lieux Publics and CREAC, Marseille / La Cascade, Bourg-St-Andéol of which the company Les Colporteurs is a registered associate. Company Les Colporteurs is subsidised by: DRAC Rhône-Alpes, Conseil régional Rhône-Alpes and Conseil général de l’Ardèche. Fondation BNP Paribas also supports the company’s projects. With the help of Région Rhône-Alpes.
