LA VRILLE DU CHAT … A CIRCUS SHOW THAT FALLS BACK ON IT’S PAWS!

La Vrille du Chat is based on a simple principle. The show develops from a single scene of several minutes; a scene that for our acrobatics becomes at once territory and material for play. Through reprise, deconstruction, and reconstruction, we attempt to exercise the possibilities of this unique scene. Similar to a comic book, this scene can be played in reverse, slow motion, or frozen in time; deconstructed while multiplying the focus points, and changing what is accented, like in a musical variation; reconstructed by aggregating the parts of the variations obtained.

On stage, five longtime friends find themselves together sharing their different realities in this unique instant; an apparently futile moment that, through different perspectives, illustrates the complexity of each present moment.

BODIES DRIVEN TOWARDS FREEDOM

To set subjective frames through physicality: this exercise of rough poetry is effected by the only resource of the acrobatic body, without calling on apparatus based techniques, spoken language, video or digital art.

The acrobatic body and nothing else. In the material virtuosity, capacity to deform and transform, and the promise that they offer to escape elemental physical laws. Escaping to reinvent a world of freedom.

The acrobatic body like a material utopia. Incarnated. Based on the growth of the possibilities of movement, speed, flexibility, agility, strength and precision.

The acrobatic body like an invitation to freedom.

INSPIRATIONS

Slapstick: A source of inspiration at once modeled and dramatic, inviting physical challenges. In slapstick, the most abnormal movements seem to naturally integrate with the ordinary world. Abnormal “natural” movement incites a denial of traditional apparatuses: a trapeze, a teeter board, a Chinese pole are not daily objects. When these apparatuses are present in a show, one part of writing a circus show becomes dedicated to justifying or poeticizing the presence of these prosthetics; and, like all obligatory passages, it is often artificial. The slapstick universe offers the outline of a path for circus writing, based on physical prowess, included in the every day of the common world.

Vincent Gomez

Specializing in teeterboard studied at CNAC, where he left in 1995 with the show Le Cri du Caméléon that toured until 1999. Primarily an artist for the company Anomalie where he is a co-founder, Vincent turned little by little towards directing; particularly after the creation of his own company, Hors Pistes in 2006. He met Michael and Maya during their third year collective project at ÉSAC in Brussels, and since stayed in contact. His interest in mixing circus technique and acting, coupled with his qualities in directing and construction is what led us to propose his involvement as outside eye on this project, to help shape our ideas and desires on stage.

Philippe Vande Weghe

Cofounder of the company Les Argonautes and co author and artist in la Toison d’Orgue, Le Prince d’Incertitude andPas Perdus. Philippe always had a particular interest for staging and directing with the desire to add meaning to performance. Paralleled to his function as a professor at ÉSAC of Brussels, he created many pieces like Derniers Instants (2007) and Le Passage with the companies Carré Curieux and Cirque Vivant!, Irrésistible with Alexine Boucher Hardy (2012) and Entre D’Eux (2015). He was involved in writing the graduation acts of Aurélien Oudot, and Trio Anneaux, who Maya and Michael are part of.

SCENOGRAPHER – Didier Goury

He doesn’t use the architecture which he studied other than for the spectacular. First with dancers, for who he designs spaces and large convertible stage accessories (Verret, Nadj, Boivin…), he continued to theater because he also wanted to confront written dramaturgies (Adrien, Beaunesne, Benichou Hiegel…), those who brought him to frequent a little too close to the cultural institution (théâtre de la ville, comédie FR, festival d’Avignon). He then turned towards the circus, where he respects the physical engagement and intelligence (Anomalie, Mathurin Bolze, Zimmermann – de Perrot, Gaetan Lévèque, AOC, Laurent Paretti, Les Désaccordés, Giovanna d’Ettore, la Maison des Clowns, Yoann Bourgeois…)

CHOREOGRAPHIC ADVISOR – Isael Mata Cruz

Isael is a dancer, choreographer and teacher who has given workshops at ÉSAC in Brussels for many years. The physical character of his dancing is close to our acrobatic approach. “I work with Release techniques (Trisha Brown) and Flying Low (David Zambrano) that permit a fluidity and an evolution in the transitions between the floor and standing movements. To create a dynamic in space with the presence of others: to navigate on stage toward the meeting of his own spontaneous movements and to utilise his instinct and sensitivity to move and enter in line with that which surrounds us.” Student of David Zambrano, having notably danced with the group P.A.R.T.S. directed by Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker and taught for the company Ultima Ver and Wim Vandekeybuns, Isael accompanies us on this creation on the level of movement quality and choreography.

Lambert Colson — Sound Creation

Grégory Rivoux — Lighting Creation