FORMA

Compagnie P.P. Dream & Gilbert Peyre (France) – “Cupid. Owner of the Building located on Hell and Paradise”

The author of incredible sculpturoperas is coming to Kraków!

The French artist, creator of performances/images called “sculpturoperas” will present his latest work, surprising his audiences with a new form and ideas.

Gilbert Peyre is so bizarre; what he does is completely in contradiction to any principle; it makes one think of the work of Joel-Peter Witkin and the Quay Brothers.

/Jean-Pierre Jeunet/

Gilbert Peyre is not a typical visual artist. His mechanical, animated sculptures were first called “electro-mechanic-maniacs”, and then SculpturOperas (sculpture operas).

Peyre founded his own theatrical group in 1996, along with his wife Laurence Alfieri. The group was called Cie P.P. Dream, and at that time he showed his first sculpturopera in Abuervilliers entitled  “Ce soir on tue le cochon”, with music by Jean Pacalet. Later on, Peyre’s sculptures were acquired by the Parisian Museum La Halle-Saint-Pierre. The exhibition of his work entitled “Fin de Chantier” opened there in 2000.

Peyre also took part in circus performances which employ modern art, such as“Et Qui Libre ?” (in La Villette with La Compagnie Foraine); “Buren Cirque” (with Compagnie Etokan) and “Notre besoin de consolation est impossible à rassasier from” by Armel Roussel (with “Avant-garde” theatre in Les Brigittines, during Kunsten Festivaldes Arts in Brussels).

“Cupid. Owner of the Building located on Hell and Paradise”

SculpturOpera “Cupid. The owner of a flat located in hell and paradise” is a mix of visual arts, technology and opera with a bold text by Yves Garnier, interpreted by the soprano Lydie Morales singing to a soundtrack in which religious sounds and songs are combined with the compositions of Gérard Pesson,Enrico Caruso and Raphaël Beau.

In this bizarre tragicomedy, Gilbert Peyre’s sculptures co-exist with living characters, and spectators are invited into Cupid’s lair. This half-man, half-woman played by Jean Yves Tual is a keeper in the house inhabited by puppets, half-angels, half-demons. There, among the sounds of music, screeches and half-spoken words a rabbit appears along with a bride dressed as a princess (Corinne Martin/Marie De Oliveira), a wardrobe which jumps around and bounces off objects, a pig in a fiery crown and a mechanical kid with a video head. By retelling the story of Adam and Eve, Peyre plays the game of surprising people with the fantastic elements of the world they live in. In the artist’s peculiar imaginative world you can laugh along with his cheeky, playful characters and, at the same time, think of the truth that Peyre hides under the various theatrical attractions. We will leave the theatre confused, full of questions but also pleased that we let the artist manipulate us.

Reviews:

“The atmosphere of the show is reminiscent of the “City of Lost Children” and Jean-Perre Jeunet’s “Delikatessen”. What’s strange is that Dominique Pinon, Jeunet’s favourite actor was in the audience that night. Once we heard about this, we were hardly surprised that the director’s next film, “Micmacs à tire-Larigot” with Dany Boon will feature Gilbert Peyre’s mechanical, animated sculptures.”

[Le Figaro, Valérie Sasportas]

Duration time: 60 min.

GENERIC

Conception, sculptures, directing,scenography:Gilbert Peyre

Texts: Yves Garnier and extracts from "Cantique des cantiques"

Music:  "Mes béatitudes" by Gérard Pesson (extract); "Mi par d'udir ancora" by Enrico Caruso; "Temps arrêté" by Raphaël Beau; extractsfrom religious hymns

Actor: Jean-Yves Tual (Cupidon)

Actresses:Marie De Oliveira (The Bride); Gaëlle Fiaschi (The Housekeeper)

Soprano:Lydie  Morales

Voice: Achille Orsoni – Corinne Martin – Gwénola de Luze – Olga Nikolaeva

Technician for Electronic table: Bachir Sam– Juliette Zanon

Stage Manager:Loïc Guyon

Assistant Stage Manager: Nicolas Gérard

Light Manager:Flore Marvaud

SoundManager:Fabien Caron

Dresser:Gaëlle Fiaschi

Electronics Engineer:Robert Breton

Costumer:Morgane Olivier

Technical adviser, assistant scenography:Vikonte de Bartholin

Photographer: Suzane Brun

Script-girl: Elsa Bahia

Participants for construction:Anne Pinguet, Virginie Chevrier, Claude Orsoni, Claude Cottet

Production

Cie P.P.Dream – Laurence Alfieri; Coproduction: Achille Orsoni; LE CENTQUATRE

With support: Loupi Electronique and Robert Breton; Le Théâtre de la Marionnette à Paris; Théâtre de la Commune-CDN d'Aubervilliers; Ville de Pantin

phot. Suzane Brun