Presentation
Real-fake monkeys or fake-real men ?
Strange humanoids from the mountains of Central Europe are led under close guard to their final destination – the cage. As they come to the end of their last journey you will begin to notice how these strange beings, the only few remaining on earth today, are far from a silent minority.
This theatrical work urges us to question how we view others and how we react to differences, while openly denouncing all different forms of racism, without actually naming them. It confronts the critical gaze of the passer-by in relation to authority, (which is here acted out by the guards,) but also in relation to the other members of the crowd watching. It invites the people in the audience to react and to strike up conversations with each other. And all of these debates and reactions that are triggered off are as much a part of the show as the actors’ performances.
Press review
| L’HUMANITÉ | ” The Squames was a mind-boggling display of ape-like men locked up in a cage that was parked in the middle of the Jardin des Carmes for a whole afternoon. “ |
| LE MONDE Françoise Limoge |
Most of the crowd watching are hanging on to wait and see, clearly disturbed by these “animal-men”, with mixed feelings of both shame. This production aims to excite curiosity and get people talking in the street. And there is no denying that The Squames is a performance which manages to do precisely that. |
Distribution
A show by de Barthélemy Bompard | artistic direction Barthélemy Bompard & Claude Meister | performed by Armelle Bérengier, Dominique Bettenfeld, Eric Blouet, Barthélemy Bompard, Céline Damiron, Barthélemy Dhenin, Marie-Pascale Grenier, Jacques Merle, Nicolas Quilliard, Nina Sérusier, Judith Thiébaut & Amy Wood | make-up designer Isabelle Darde | costume designer Claire Salmon-Legagneur |set designer Frédéric Barry | make-up artists Sophie Ghizzo & Marie-Cécile Winling or Catherine Sardi | technical production Djamel Djerboua & Simon Lambert-Bilinsk
Arts promotion and financial aids
Arts promotion and financial aids Kumulus
Pictures
Videos
video of “Les Squames”
Karen production – 7’30