Bleu Violon

logo images/bande

CREATION - MAY 2015
Circus and animated pictures
For all audiences, ages 8 and up
Duration : 1h20

A unique show which blends living arts (circus, music and theatre) and animated pictures.
Le Boustrophédon is once again attempting to share serious subjects in a funny way ! 

VIDEO TEASER > HERE

BLEU VIOLON

Bleu violon is circus, Bleu violon is music but, above all, Bleu violon is a surprising blend of human and specially created cartoon characters, all condemned to live together. They spy on each other, tear each apart, help each other, push their fears to breaking point, and dare to play funny and cruel tricks on each other.
In all of its shows, le Boustrophédon has always attempted to deal with serious subjects in a light and humorous way. Bleu violon carries on this tradition …


"It's the story of a confined space and those who live in it. Outside, chaos seems to reign.
The inhabitants of the space let time slowly pass and this has the effect of slowly fossilizing them. Sometimes, they tempt fate, blow trumpets, throw objects or turn chairs around. Often they are happy just to watch the rain go by and tremble with fear while inventing short-lived, daring adventures. Inside the cracks in the walls, a whole colony of free, parasitic creatures has settled, sketched in the vacuum, babbling, monstrous.
It's the story of a confined space and those who live in it … but who is prowling on the outside?" Christian Coumin - Artistic director

Le Boustrophédon has made some innovating, original and wacky research with Bleu violon. All the animations were created especially for the show and are projected onto walls, objects, clothing or in the condensation on a window. This imagery coveys perfectly the message, the actors (real or animated) and the emotions which flow through them.

The creative team
The five actors come from a circus arts background. They are jugglers, acrobats or tightrope walkers and in previous shows they have mixed their traditional skills with puppet handling and living music. With “Bleu Violon” they will be exploring the field of animated pictures.

They have been professionally trained in renowned circus schools, recognized for their demanding and high-quality teaching: Le Lido (The Centre for Circus Arts in Toulouse) and one of them at ESAC (Higher School of Circus Arts in Brussels).

Along with the animated films director, two specialists in video technology have also joined the project. They are able to explore the technical possibilities required to transform the ideas we come up with into workable elements.

Animated pictures and circus.
Like puppets, animated pictures allow us to keep the gravity of the theme at a distance. They offset the subject matter with humour and peculiarity… This is how “Bleu Violon” charts a path between the comic, the serious and the original. It creates improbability and surprise … The animation is totally integrated into the action and emotion of the show and flirts with the fields of magic and illusion.

CAST

Daniel Masson - actor, piano, mélodica, singer.
Juliette Hulot - jugglery, trumpet, singer
Romain Delavoipière - acrobat, clown, saxophonist, singer.
Héloïse Biseau - acrobatics, contortion, flut, clarinet, singer.
Alan Leborgne - climbing, dance, actor, singer.

Collective writing and research directed by Christian Coumin.
We are all – at an equal level – involved in the show we are creating. The writing process draws in the technologies that we explore, the dreams we experience and our perspective on things. The director needs to respect those on stage in order to have an effective inside viewpoint. It’s a question of accuracy, inevitability and simplicity. That’s why we describe it as "directed collective creation". It is neither the work of a single person, nor of an autonomous group. We are constantly aiming to achieve an exhilarating (un)balance.

Direction (collective), led by Christian Coumin (F) – Theatre and actor direction.
Artistic Director of the company and also Artistic Director of the Lido de Toulouse (internationally renowned circus school) since 1996. He has directed all of the company's shows, events and acts and participated in the development of its teaching aspects. He has also directed the Acrostiches, la Cie 111, Vis-à-vis, Léonor Canalès, les Pas en Rond, les Skouts, Triplex, Tibo tout court, Remise à 9, Marie Céline Daubagna, les Singuliers, Alex Saintin, les Dodder’s, Pierrot le fou, Michel Navarro, Vent d’Autan, Iéto, Le petit Travers and la Compagnie Singulière.

Production Le Boustrophédon, in partnership with the studio La Ménagerie.
Collective création, directed by Christian Coumin
Cartoon movies : Romain Blanc Tailleur, assisted by Raphaël Lerays / Studio La Ménagerie
Vidéo consultants : Olivier Tarasse, Alain Chaix
Music : collective création directed by Daniel Masson
Scenography / decorations : Fabien Megnin et Franck Breuil
Lights : Thomas Maréchal
Light / manager : Hélène Tourmente
Sound environment : Jacques Rossello
Vidéo manager : François Drolet
Production and Tour manager : Bob Mauranne

Coproducers
> Théâtre d’Arles, Scène Conventionnée pour les nouvelles écritures  (13)
> FACM, Fond d’Aide à la Création Mutualisée (Val d’Oise-95)
> Scène Nationale (Albi-81)
> CIRCa, Pôle National pour les arts du cirque (Auch-32-Gers-Midi-Pyrénées)
> Arts vivants en Vaucluse / Auditorium Jean Moulin (Le Thor-84)
> Théâtre de Fos/Scènes et Cinés Ouest Provence
> L’Hostellerie de Pontempeyrat / Association Regards et Mouvements (Usson-en-Forez-42).

Institutionnal supports
DGCA / Ministry of Culture and Communication
CNC / DICREAM / National Center For the Cinema
Région Midi-Pyrénées
Conseil Départemental de la Haute-Garonne
Conseil Départemental du Val D'Oise

DURATION
80 minutes

ON STAGE

5 actors

ON TOUR
8 to 10 people

Bleu Violon © Bob Mauranne-Patrice Amoyel
Bleu Violon © Bob Mauranne
Bleu Violon © Bob Mauranne
Bleu Violon © Bob Mauranne
Pictures 1 and 2 : © Bob Mauranne > 3 : © Romain Blanc-Tailleur