● Arctic by Anne-Cécile Vandalem
We are in 2025, in Greenland, new promised land of humanity after global warming. The Arctic Serenity, a former cruise ship, is towed to the island to be dismembered. On board, a handful of illegal immigrants brought together by a mysterious, anonymous letter take advantage of the crossing. Until they are abandoned by the tug in the middle of international waters, delivered at the silence and the ice…
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The closed chilling is prolonged on the big screen, which streams live images of the pontoon and of the corridors of the ship. Christophe Raynaud de Lage/Christophe Raynaud de Lage / Hans Lucas
In addition to imagine a seductive scenario from science fiction would you agree polar (the piece is sold as a “comedy futuristic and dystopian / political thriller”), Anne-Cécile Vandalem has not skimped on the means. A scenography grand gives to see the reception room of the ship, where you will meet our characters wrapped up in their duvets. The closed chilling is prolonged on the big screen, which streams live images of the pontoon and of the corridors of the ship. Add a few jazz musicians like ghosts, hidden behind the scene.
All the son of the director of the belgian are in place to weave a tale dark and haunting, in the tradition of Sorrow which had been revealed to the public at large (on the rise of populism in a island’s northern). It is more a question, here, of ecological disaster. This is the main point, unfortunately, diluted in a pool of other genres: political, burlesque, horror, polar… The actors, in the skin of the characters lynchéens well captured, forcing the line of comedy and struggle to overcome the technical device. The stage is deserted for the benefit of the video. The plot, which turns into a revamped version and messy of Ten little niggers , takes a little foot in the carpet.
Yet, the ideas are teeming in the course of this atmosphere préapocalyptique. In this art deco building which looks back to the Overlook Hotel in Shining (Anne-Cécile Vandalem allows a bit of gore), a bear life-size crosses the stage. Its fur is stained with blood. A ghost popped up. A young girl in a sequined dress sings a last jazz. A shot resounds. It is all the same impressed. With a little more video, Arctic would have had its place in Gérardmer.
” At the Odéon-Théâtre de l’europe (the Ateliers Berthier) until 10 February, and then in Saint-Etienne, on 14 and 15 February.
● Paradoxical Marien Tillet
If Paradoxical is a much smaller production, the subject matter is just as curious and rare on the boards. This enigmatic single scene signed Marien Tillet gives himself the label of “thriller scientific.” The show tackles the thorny issue of the lucid dream. Is the tendency of the dreamer to realize that he is living a dream, this paradoxical reality. Up to master their own dreams and schedule them in advance.
after an introduction of popular science, Paradoxical toggle in pure fiction. Marien Tillet tells the story of Marilyn, a young journalist suffering from insomnia, which includes a programme of research on a group of dreamers lucid. As Arctic , the film seems to be here. Despite an economy of means which impresses, Paradoxical has the false air of Inception . In the room, the spinner Leonardo Dicaprio is replaced by a simple bottle of water. Or rather, dozens of bottles of water that the comedian is mysteriously appear on a desktop as a multiplication of the loaves revisited.
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Marien Tillet, alone on stage. Samuel Poncet
Marien Tillet is a very good performer. While joking with the audience, he navigates with ease between several characters who are all narrators potential. Well assisted by a sound device that is worth all the sceneries of the world, (especially when the journey is more sensitive than physical), he revisits this world halfway between dream and reality. This thin border that makes us confuse everything, imagine everything, having nightmares.
The history increases in a succession of angles possible. The public comes to ask whether it is not the main character of this mystical foggy. Be aware of and live in a different reality, is not this the experience of the theatre? And then, as the relative Marien Tillet, “the dream is real as long as it lasts. Isn’t this the same thing out of life?”
” At the Théâtre de Belleville until 19 February. 94 Rue du Faubourg du Temple, Paris (XIe).
Monday to 19h, Tuesday at 21.15 and on Sunday at 17h.
