Raoul
Creation 2009
Théâtre Royal de Namur (Belgium)

The duality of Raoul

It has been said that in the late hours of an undeniably nameless day, the residency of an unbelievably lonely character, living under the most evidently usurped name of Raoul, was attacked quite shamelessly by a man claiming himself to be him, which is to say, Raoul. 

Arguably giving him (Raoul) the benefit of the doubt, the concerned authorities authorised the authorisation of a theatrical debate between the two undisputed, unique Raouls, which was viewed coincidentally by an audience of over four poorly qualified creatures: a large asthmatic fish, an armoured bug, a bird’s fossil remains, a depressive jellyfish, and alas… an elephant’s volatile ghost.

Common decency should state that the previously mentioned contenders (Raoul) had trouble agreeing on the authenticity of their audience’s animalistic identity (particularly the depressive jellyfish). But Raoul and his attacker did agree to keep their violent but nonetheless charming ‘rendez-vous’ regular until something would become clear.

So the man (Raoul) stoically stayed home and tried to unite, as politely as possible. However, it was only just before his ‘night-night-sleep-tight-don’t-let-the-bed-bugs-bite’ catatonic routine that he (Raoul, not the other one) understood the overwhelming implications of his duality: one calls for two, which calls for three, which usually calls for four, and so forth and so on…

The vision of this fascinating, imaginary crowd of Raouls emboldened the sovereign fractions of his will, as he set out to explore the complex data of his dreams and nightmares.

The journey was interesting.

Well, so it was said.

But I didn’t see it.

 

Sincerely

James Thiérrée
team
  • Designed, directed and performed:
  • James Thierrée

  • Costume, Animal Design and Making:
  • Victoria Thierrée

  • Sound:
  • Thomas Delot

  • Lights:
  • James Thierrée, Bastien Courthieu

  • Scenography:
  • James Thierrée

  • Scenic assistant:
  • Sam Dutertre

  • Stage Managers:
  • Guillaume Pissembon, Anthony Nicolas

  • Light manager:
  • Bastien Courthieu

  • Dresser Costume and Set Maker:
  • Sabine Schlemmer

  • Electric guitar recording:
  • Matthieu Chedid

  • Assistant Director::
  • Laetitia Hélin, Sidonie Pigeon

  • Artistic consultants:
  • Kaori Ito, Magnus Jakobsson, Bruno Fontaine

  • Confections and fabrications:
  • Victoria Thiérrée, Monika Schwartzl, Matthieu Bony, Marie Rossetti, Pierre Jean Verbraeken, Jean Malo, Véronique Grand, Pauline Köcher, Brigitte Brassart, Philippe Welsh

  • Company Manager:
  • Emmanuelle Taccard

  • Production:
  • La Compagnie du Hanneton / Junebug

  • A co-production with:
  • La Coursive Scène nationale de La Rochelle, Théâtre Royal de Namur, La Comédie de Clermont-Ferrand , Théâtre de la Ville Paris, barbicanbite09 ( Barbican Theatre, London) and Crying Out Loud, Abbey Theatre Dublin, Maison de la Danse Lyon, Théâtre National de Toulouse Fondation BNP Paribas has supported Raoul's touring from 2010 to 2016

gallery
press
Télérama Sortir
December 9, 2009
Aurélien Ferenczi
"Si le spectacle raconte une histoire, ce serait celle de Raoul, au chaud dans sa tour-cocon, que vient provoquer, déloger... Raoul, son double aventureux. Le passage de l'un à l'autre est tellement stupéfiant qu'on se demande longtemps qui est, sur scène, ce sosie de James Thierrée"
London Dance
October 14, 2009
Graham Watt
"Raoul is a thrilling explosion of surreal confetti, a perpetual scattering of visual trickery and dynamic movement that seems impossible to fully absorb, but the audience quickly attunes to the constancy of surprise. The work is billed as a solo but other uncredited bodies are involved; bodies with which Thiérrée can change places in many unexpected circumstances."
Le Monde
October 4, 2009
Brigitte Salino
"Ce personnage vit dans un drôle de monde : un champ de voiles qui aurait survécu à quelque tempête. Elles occupent tout le plateau, que Raoul rejoint en arrivant de la salle. Il porte des habits de voyageur usés et une barbe de plusieurs jours. Une lampe frontale guide son chemin jusqu'aux voiles qui se déplient, laissant la place à une construction bricolée et faramineuse, une sorte de tipi constitué de barres en fer, qui tomberont peu à peu sur le sol, comme un jeu de mikado."
Le Point
September 15, 2009
Brigitte Hernandez
"Ici, des voiles dans tous les sens, du vent a soufflé sur ces pauvres branches dans ce désert. Après un désastre, un déluge ? La fin du monde ? Le début d'une histoire ? Arrive un type. Seul, décidé, il part à l'assaut de ces frêles cimes."
Agenda
October 9 to
October 13
Milan / Italy
PICCOLO TEATRO STREHLER
March 6 to
March 20
Paris / France
La Scala