Only rarely do festival programmes feature productions for the whole family. Dark Circus is such a rare bird. This »black« circus is based on a story by Pierre Elie Ferrier, a French writer and book illustrator who also goes by the sobriquet Pef. His understanding of circus was given tangible life by Jean-Baptiste Maillet and Romain Bermond, who are both musicians and stage designers. The outcome is an incredible succession of disasters:The aerialist crashes to the ground, the lions eat the lion tamer, and the human cannonball is projected into outer space. »Come for the show, stay for the woe« is the slogan of this extravagant spectacle: in a dark circus, the humour, too, must be sombre!
Acrobatics, dancing, shadow and puppet theatre, mute and animated film alternate on the screen. How the fascinating principle behind the creation of all these heartrending stories works is something audiences must find out for themselves: they can observe the artists as they manipulate and move all elements that make up the show, watch them conjure up brilliant silhouettes from pieces of cardboard – and finally see how everything comes together magically on the screen to forge a circus universe.
This is the first performance of STEREOPTIK shown in Vienna.
Discussion with the audience on 5 June, following the second performance.
Based on a concept by
Pef (Pierre Elie Ferrier)
By and with
Stereoptik (Romain Bermond, Jean-Baptiste Maillet)
Dramaturgy consultant
Frédéric Maurin
Stage management
Arnaud Viala, Frank Jamond
A production by STEREOPTIK and Vendôme. In co-production with L’Hectare – Scène conventionnée de Vendôme, Théâtre Jean Arp – Scène conventionnée de Clamart, Théâtre Le Passage – Scène conventionnée de Fécamp, Théâtre Epidaure/Bouloire, Cie Jamais 203. With the support of the French Ministry of Culture and Communication/DRAC Centre-Val de Loire and of the Région Centre-Val de Loire. With thanks to Théâtre de l’Agora – Scène nationale d’Evry et de l’Essonne, L’Echalier, Saint-Agil, Théâtre Paris Villette, MJC Mont-Mesly Madeleine Rebérioux, Créteil.
brut
Karlsplatz 5, 1010 Wien
Pre-sale only via Wiener Festwochen: www.festwochen.at; T: +43 1 589 22 22
The event is sold out.
For audiences aged 7 years and older.
Discussion with the audience on 5 June, following the second performance.