Le Collectif Micro Focus present

“OUI”(I Do...)

Small urban fantastic scenes...

Authors/performers

Morgane WIDMER & Jérémie HALTER

Director

Nicolas QUETELARD

Choreographer

Mathilde ROY

Musical creation

Adil KACED, Gabriel MORELA & Pablo POPAL

Costumes

Caroline HANNY & Inéha COSTEROUSSE

Artistical & Poetical Intentions Life’s true adventure, loud and clear challenge is not running away from commitment but dare facing it. Christiane SINGER, Eulogy of marriage, commitment and other crazy things

In order to emphasize our topic, we will flirt with its limits. The metaphorical beauty of contemporary dance will underline the expressionism of gestural and absurd theatre. New magic will also be part of it as well as circus, our common ground.

Topic

Morgane WIDMER and Jérémie HALTER met during the production of the show “Discordes” by the Cie Sens Dessus Dessous. They have decided to explore the universal topic of marriage and its numerous faces through the ages.

Forced, arranged, of convenience, but also genuine proof of love; sealing a union before God and the society, making a promise; A commitment attached to our deepest feelings: our craving for security and need to be tied to someone…

A show that questions the oldest and most popular organisational model and illustrates some of the thoughts connected to this moral and social commitment.

Statement of Intent

The daily routine of a relationship is laid before our eyes: violence of body collisions as well as sweetness of glances given to one another… Couples are glued together since the inaugural « I do ». A commitment. A wedding. Isn’t the ceremony a perfect occasion to appeal to our close ones and the society itself ? But what does it mean? What is a relationship? What is at stake before, during and after the « I do »? And which signs, which body language do two people speak when they are 20, 40, 60 or 80 years old?

Different marriages scenes or pictures will take place at different times and different places throughout the city, underlining the temporal continuum of a couple’s life.

Live for the moment, remember, make plans, dream, stand, hold on. Connect, disconnect, reconnect. Selected times within selected places in the city symbolizing a timeline, such as a playground, a town hall or a church, a train station, a public square, a movie theatre and a restaurant.

Text is what matter the least in a theatre play. They only hear one sentence out of two. Jean ANOUILH

A show in 5 scenes, 5 places, 5 situations, 5 disciplines, 5 emotions around a particular meaningful moment: “I do”.

5 scenes of 10 minutes each, a 50 minute show.

In the beginning of each scene, the couple takes the same position they had when the last scene ended. This identical movement is an entry key for the public watching the life of this couple.

The Show

The history of a commitment. For better and for worst. For a life course.

Fragments of a life. Each fragment illustrates chosen moments and eras. At five different times during the course of a day,a scene takes place in a different place of the city. Each place symbolizes a fragment. However, the story is not told in a chronological order, but includes flashbacks.

Paying attention to the gestures, movements, glances of people spotted in the streets. Emphasizing the aesthetics or the burlesque of a situation…Drawing inspiration from movies’ structure, particularly flashbacks, as seen in Alejandro GONZALES IÑARRITU works such as “21 grams”, “Amores perros” and “Babel”.

Let Venus do, she will bring you Mars.Henri BERGSON, The Two Sources Of Morality And Religion

The Wedding Scene. A paper dress, a town hall or a church, magical effects, gestural theatre. Solemn commitment, wedding litany. Two single words to be pronounced. Two single words bearing all the commitment and marital union symbols. The bride and the groom play very genuinely. They are happy, blissful. Interaction with the audience. But then it changes. The wedding dress starts to tear, the flowers fade, reality catches up to them. End of the scene (change of state): under her paper dress, a white gown. The groom opens up the paper dress, wraps it up around the bride; after a magical trick (quick-change), the dress turns black.

The Encounter. A movie theatre, the street. Joy, excitement, doubts, questions. Dance, acrobatics, physical theatre. The first doubts, present since the beginning. In the play: commitment of the body, in its physicality, sensibility, aesthetics, magnitude. Talking gestures. Speaking glances. Emotions are palpable, expressed, clashing.

The Fight. Boxing gloves at a crossroad or a roundabout. Dramatic and comical. Settling accounts. The two characters are boxing. This is THE fight. The guy is down, his manhood hurt. He defends himself, in spite of his bad faith and absurdity. Theatrical play and gesture. Playing clown, burlesque duo. The arbitrator is someone from the audience. Two other people act as coaches. Real boxing attire, way too large shorts. Play à la Buster Keaton. An actual size boxing ring drawn with chalk.

Course of the perfomence

The Proposal. Commitment, link, rope, the one we tie the knot with?! A rope and a magic piece (play with the ring). A public square or a garden with a hook for the rope. Strong challenges, doubts, adoption of a standpoint, defining the positions, the roles. Magnets attracting and rejecting one another. Tense breathing.

Two Elderly People.A bench in a public square. Exploring the state of the bodies. A choreography redesigning the features on the other’s face to make him look old. A choreography of daily gestures becoming more and more difficult to achieve. Slowly, feverishly, with lingering sound of youth still present. Working on micro-movement.

Street Art & New Magic

The world of magic is an illusion and art is presenting this illusion to the world.Paul VIRILIO (urbanist and essayist)

In human society, and especially in urban societies, the term “public space” refers to the sum of gathering and passing areas. This show was born from the observation of random people within this space. Moments picked up from daily life that we wish to restore as a sensible lecture to the inhabitants, wandering through those places we live in.

New Magic

The term “magic” is ambiguous: for most people, it includes a symbolic connotation, connected to charm, enchantment and marvel. New magic is an art whose expression is the diversion of real in reality. Magic helps locating oneself in relation to reality (space, time, objects) from a specific point of view.Movies and paintings depict reality within the frame of a picture. Theatre and literature transpose reality into a metaphorical space. New magic plays with reality within reality itself, that is, within the same space and time. No longer an illusion, the images it creates is a reality.

Metamorphosis

A major change in the form, nature or structure resulting in the subject being no longer recognizable.Petit Robert

We use this art to illustrate the passing of time, the transformation and the change of mind of an emotion.

Magic in the street

From a technical point of view, doing magic and particularly illusionism outdoor, in a public space, is way more impressive than inside the walls of a performance hall. In the latter, the public can easily imagine the mechanism we find on a stage (hatches, mirrors, threads) supporting magical tricks. Frontal seating allows the use of perspective to create illusions of depth and hide some of the subterfuges. No constraints due to outdoor conditions. Clear boundaries between the stage and the public assure that no one will cross the line and lighting hides what shouldn’t be seen.

Doing magic and creating illusions in the street is therefore a challenge.

Artistic Team

Let your dream devour your life, not your life devour your dream.Antoine de SAINT-EXUPERY

Morgane WIDMER: Circus artist, dancer, actress.

Morgane is seven years old when she discovers circus. She enters the circus school L’Elastique Citrique in Nyon (Switzerland), which will open her way in creation and teaching. She then spends three years in the Ecole Supérieure des Arts du Cirque in Brussels, before joining her childhood friend Stéphanie N’DUHIRAHE in Prague. Together, they found the Compagnie des Pieds Perchés. Using aerial rope, they puttogether two creations: “Foutaise” (2010) and “Le poids du vide” (2013), which are presented in Switzerland, Czech Republic, Italy and Canada. She also starts an international tour with Circus Mlejn (CZ) and Collectif and then…(GB) and studies contemporary dance with Roberto OLIVAN during the internship “Deltebre dansa”.In 2012, her presence is requested for the creation of the choreographic circus show “Discorde” produced by Kim HYUNG and Jive FAURY from Cie Sens Dessus Dessous. She meets Jérémie HALTER. An immediate complicity is born, and they decide to write a show together, which will be a duo of gestural and physical theatre and new magic, about marriage and commitment.

Jérémie HALTER : Circus artist, dancer, clown, outdoor actor.

Jérémie begins his training at the circus school “Le Salto” and starts teaching as well. After an international tour with the project “Sin Frontera”, he co-founds Tapis Volant, a new circus company with which he tours in Europe and Middle East. Then, he takes part in the writing of a youth audience production from Cirque Nop. After that, he goes to Brussels, where he discovers contemporary dance, clown and gestural theatre as well as the Jacques LECOQ approach, leading to the creation of “Switch”, an objects’ handling solo that will be presented in France and Europe. The same year, he teaches at l’Espace Catastrophe, a place of artistic creation for circus arts. Subsequently, he performs dancing in “Ablution Wassing” by choreographer Jordi L. Vidal as well as for the Collectif Mû. He also co-writes two shows, one with Kitschnette and the other produced by the collective Micro Focus, collective that he has just founded with Adil KACED. Another show put together by the collective with the collaboration of Paul CRETIN-SOMBARDIER is touring at the moment. The training he receives in new magic, at the Merlan then at the CNAC with the Cie 14:20 leads to the creation of the Compagnie Morphée and the production of a show. He also participates to a residency about the show “Discordes” organised by the Cie Sens Dessus Dessous with Morgane WIDMER, which also leads to a new creation.

Nicolas QUETELARD: circus artist, juggler, carrier, clown, skateboarder, rapper and foolishness specialist!

Fascinated by juggling since I was in my mother’s womb. I founded, with two friends, the company “Perben¬é¬fice” and its first show, “Hypnose” in 2004. In 2005, I started a training program at the circus school “Théâtre-Cirqule’ in Geneva and toured with the show “le 13ème MOI” (2006). I specialized in the handling of objects with a preference for daily life items. In 2007, with the help of two co-workers, I founded the company “Le Ressort” with whom I did acrobatic lifts and hat handling. In 2009, I entered the Lido (Centre des Arts du Cirque de Toulouse). In 2009/2010, I took part in the creation of “Parricide Exit” with the company “d’elles”. For the last two years, I have been working on the handling of waste bins and have allowed the evolution of Gorska in the show “L’Or Dur” with the company “Le Ressort”. Nicolas is also an actor within the company 220 vol and a director for the companies Bazar Forain, La main s’affaire and Cirque Paradis.

Mathilde ROY : circus artist, dancer, clown

Matilde has been trained at the centre for circus arts Lomme and at the Lido in Toulouse. She learns about reverse vertical position, contemporary dance, theatre as well as other fabulous means of expression. In 2008, she creates Muchmuche company with Paul CRE-TIN-SOMBARDIER. She also joins the fairground circus company L’Estock fish and takes part in the show “L’Affabulatoir”.

AgendaTime is passing through the needle hole of hours.

Jules RENARD, Diary

Writing residency

1 – 8 March 2014, Turbul – Ecole de cirque, Nîmes.

Writing and Experimentation residency

16 – 22 June 2014, Extrême Jonglerie, Marseilles

1st public experimentation on June 21st 2014 at the Saint-Charles train station. Piano player: « A vous de jouer ». Gab Morela.

Creative residence

Including a ten-minute presentation at the occasion of the residency’s night out.

21 – 31 October 2014, Théâtre du centaure, Marseille18 – 23 January 2015, Retouramont, Paris16 - 21 February 2015, CIAM, Aix en provence 2 - 8 March 2015, Le Hublot, Laragne 16 – 27 May 2015, CREAC, Marseille28 May – 10 June 2015, Cirqueon, Praha

Pré-Première ( The wedding scene, The Encounter, The Proposal)

7 - 9 August 2015, Font’art, Pernes les Fontaines

1 an – noces de coton2 ans – noces de cuir3 ans – noces de froment4 ans – noces de cire5 ans – noces de bois6 ans – noces de chypre7 ans – noces de laine8 ans – noces de coquelicot9 ans – noces de faïence10 ans – noces d’étain11 ans – noces de corail12 ans – noces de soie13 ans – noces de muguet14 ans – noces de plomb15 ans – noces de cristal16 ans – noces de saphir17 ans – noces de rose18 ans – noces de turquoise19 ans – noces de cretonne20 ans – noces de porcelaine21 ans – noces d’opale22 ans – noces de bronze23 ans – noces de béryl24 ans – noces de satin25 ans – noces d’argent26 ans – noces de jade27 ans – noces d’acajou28 ans – noces de nickel29 ans – noces de velours30 ans – noces de perle31 ans – noces de basane32 ans – noces de cuivre33 ans – noces de porphyre34 ans – noces d’ambre35 ans – noces de rubis36 ans – noces de mousseline37 ans – noces de papier38 ans – noces de mercure39 ans – noces de crêpe40 ans – noces d’émeraud41 ans – noces de fer42 ans – noces de nacre43 ans – noces de flanelle

37 ans – noces de papier38 ans – noces de mercure39 ans – noces de crêpe40 ans – noces d’émeraud41 ans – noces de fer42 ans – noces de nacre43 ans – noces de flanelle44 ans – noces de topaze45 ans – noces de vermeil46 ans – noces de lavande47 ans – noces de cachemire48 ans – noces d’améthyste49 ans – noces de cèdre50 ans – noces d’or51 ans – noces de camélia52 ans – noces de tourmaline53 ans – noces de merisier54 ans – noces de zibeline55 ans – noces d’orchidée56 ans – noces de lapis-lazuli57 ans – noces d’azalée58 ans – noces d’érable59 ans – noces de vison60 ans – noces de diamant61 ans – noces de platane62 ans – noces d’ivoire63 ans – noces de lilas64 ans – noces d’astrakan65 ans – noces de palissandre66 ans – noces de jasmin67 ans – noces de chinchilla68 ans – noces de granit69 ans – noces de mélèze70 ans – noces de platine75 ans – noces d’albâtre80 ans – noces de chêne

Artist contactJérémie Halter: +33.6.18.44.13.58Morgane Widmer: +33.6.28.25.79.48

production.microfocus@gmail.com

Production contactJulie Schlemmer: +33.6.60.07.25.34

Partners: