Rouens. They are preparing a play that will last 13 hours: “A real physical performance”
By Fabien Massin
Published on
Are you ready for 13 hours of theater? This is what the company Le K offers, directed by the author-actor-director Simon Flaguieres (34 years old), with coin The Nest of Ashes. This river piece, to be discovered at avignon festival this summer, was finalized at the Espace Marc Sangnier (one of the three poles of the National drama center of Normandy Rouen), a Mont-Saint-Aignan, during a residency organized in June.
The taste of river pieces
“This project was born when I was in the free class of the Florent courses – which I took late, at the age of 25 -, 8 years ago, says Simon Falguières, a native of Évreux (Eure) . I had already put on several plays, I was already supported, but I always had this dream of one day putting on a river play, a world play. Already, as a reader, I had experienced great emotions while reading The satin shoe by Paul Claudel, or The servant the Oliver Py, and as a viewer with the work of Thomas Jolly and his Henry VI (Editor’s note: performed at the Théâtre des arts in Rouen)we Winners by Olivier Py. »
The writing work was thus spread over several years. The story ? Simon Falguières briefly sketches it out for us: “It’s the story of a world split in two. One looks like ours and the other is a storybook world. The one that looks like ours talks about the crisis, the financial machines going haywire, the people who no longer have a job and who decide to burn the continent down. The other world is a storybook world with kings, queens, princes and princesses. And of course, there are bridges between these two worlds…
A whole process of creation
The staging is also the result of a process. Two summers in a row, the actors found themselves in a garden in Charente to create the piece, outdoors on trestles. And Simon Falguières took his pilgrim’s staff to defend his project with theater directors. A first version of 6 hours, a sort of warm-up, was presented to the Lightning Theater to Petit-Quevilly in 2019. But it is Avignon that gives Compagnie Le K the opportunity to give the show that the artist and his castmates have always dreamed of.
To achieve this epic version, the troupe – a concept that Simon Falguières is particularly fond of – was welcomed in residence in several places. “This last residency in Rouen was fundamental, it’s really where we were able to all get together, actors and technicians, for a month. Otherwise putting on the show would have been very difficult. It’s a gigantic job, in Avignon we will be 17 actors on set, and with the technical teams we will be 35. “
A marathon for the troop and the public
A real marathon for which the troupe is preparing, the 17 actors all playing for 13 hours. “It’s a real physical performance, I think voices will break. It’s going to be hard to hold, but at the same time that’s what’s beautiful, it kind of feels like crossing the Atlantic or something like that. »
And of course, it is a question of keeping the spectator in suspense during these 13 hours, between 11 am and midnight. Rest assured, the play is not played continuously, there are two long intermissions for lunch and dinner, short breaks in class including the audience remaining in the room, as well as two other half-hour intermissions. hour, just to stretch your legs or cool off.
“We did everything to keep the public at 1 p.m. I have a very important relationship with the fable, with the story. I really want people to understand the story and want to see it through. We took care of that. For example, each game ending ends with some kind of suspense, something that really makes you want to see the sequel. »
The Avignon dream
Finally, let us emphasize the framework in which this Ash Nest now complete: Avignon. “Playing in Avignon, for me, it’s incredible, I’ve been going there since I was 6 years old, I’m a child of public theater and decentralization. And Avignon is the first act and the banner of decentralization. »
Practical information :
Le Nid de Cendres, by Compagnie Le K, from July 9 to 16 in Avignon, at FabricA, 11, rue Paul-Achard.
The show will be performed at the Comédie de Caen (Calvados) in March 2023.
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