The Ventriloquists’ School

The Ventriloquists’ School

Writing by Alejandro Jodorowsky
Directed by : Jean-Michel d’Hoop
Traduction : Brontis Jodorowsky

Show created in 2008.

Celeste, hero of this crazy adventure, falls from nowhere in a deserted lane. Panicked, he runs away and lands in the garden of an uncommon school, the ventriloquists’ school, directed by the sacrosanct Director. Parachuted in this parallel world where puppets lay down the law, he struggles like a madman to find his way. Will he be able to find it?
On the borders between dream and reality, we are immersed in the work of a provocative visionary!
A text full of rhythm and savagery, the forthrightness of a language which transgresses all the rules thanks to the puppets: everything is allowed in this wild and funny universe…
This philosophical tale fills us with wonder, frightens us, makes us laugh, acting as a distorting mirror of the many facets of our personality. A show on the verge of laughter, where human tragedy becomes grotesque… In this universe close to those of Kafka and George Orwell, the actors manipulate puppets of human size, unless it’s the opposite…”

Cast

With Cyril Briant, Sébastien Chollet, Pierre Jacqmin, Emmanuelle Mathieu, Fabrice Rodriguez, Anne Romain, Isabelle Wéry. Costumes and puppets Natacha Belova. Coatch puppets Neville Tranter (Stuffed Puppet Theater). Music (composition et interprétation) Pierre Jacqmin. Video Michel Hébert. Set design Aurélie Deloche, Michel Hébert, Natacha Belova, Jean-Michel d’Hoop. Light Xavier Lauwers. Assistant director Coralie Vanderlinden. Traduction Brontis Jodorowsky. Production manager Catherine Ansay.

© photo: Point Zéro, Natacha Belova, Odile Ramelot.

Press review

«Between the manipulators and the manipulated, the border is particularly thin. The puppets and the actors regularly interact and we will even see the former taking the latter’s place for a sequence where we don’t know anymore who is who (…). Jean-Michel d’ Hoop’s direction proves to be very convincing with a remarkable use of the puppets by a team in great form. »
Le Soir, J-M Wynants

«We enjoy this company of “grimy” puppets, with splendid expressionist faces in the style of Otto Dix, created by Natacha Belova. Impressive! All the more so since the actors slip in them physically – but not completely -, blending without a sour note the master-slave interaction. The result is impressive. The ‘live’ music by Pierre Jacqmin creates rhythm and musical colours. In short, this “Ventriloquists’ School” is a daring show, full of unforgettable moments. »
La Libre Belgique, Nurten Aka

«A fantastic show, which goes from laughter to existential questions, and where the acting quality of the actors is outshone by that of the puppets! »
Arrêt sur info (Internet), P.F.

“A fantastic show! A dreamlike tale! Never seen something like that! A mixture of fiction and reality! A rhythmic and fierce text! It’s Pre-Tim Burton! Farcical! Seven talented actors and their ventriloquisms.»
Cinémaniacs, Roger Simons

A show by Point Zéro en coproduction with l’Atelier Théâtral Jean Vilar, le Festival de Théâtre de Spa and le Théâtre de la Balsamine, with the support of la Commission d’Aide aux Projets Théâtraux (CAPT), Ministère de la Communauté française, Direction générale de la Culture and WBI. Realized with the support of Bruxelles Export.

CONTACT

Jean-Michel d’Hoop
jean-michel@pointzero.be

Nathalie Kamoun
nathalie@pointzero.be

 

Tel +32 (0)2 608 74 89
Rue du labeur 1 - 1070 Bruxelles

Technical directors
Loïc Le Foll
llf.loic@gmail.com

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