This one lies somewhere between Carnaval and commedia dell’arte – so it is hard to not be delighted with this joyously baroque version of the Brecht play Maître Puntila et son valet Matti directed by the Colombian director Omar Porras. Onstage it is a nonstop progression of games, dance, singing, music -- wonderful. In a hilarious succession of sets the actors “strike a pose” without ever taking themselves seriously. All is funny, absurd, not quite real, sometimes borrowing rococo frames lifted from old-style paintings, or reminding us of excerpts of our favourite Almodóvar films. The plot may be serious, Brecht examines the relationship between master and valet, seeking the human truth -- but with Porras running the game, movement, gesture, flow and the vibrancy of bodies rule onstage.
direction Omar Porras ||| assistant to the director Bérangère Gros ||| dramaturgy Marco Sabbatini ||| sets Jean-Marc Stehlé assisted by Audrey Vuong ||| music José Luis Asaresi, Omar Porras ||| sound Emmanuel Nappey, José Luis Asaresi ||| choreography Fabiana Medina ||| lighting Omar Porras, Daniel Mome ||| costume creation Maria Galvez assisted by Brigitte Bidiville, Irène Schlatter, Christine Arias, Marucha Castillo ||| masks Bernardo Rey ||| makeup and wigs Cécile Kretschmar assisted by Julie Chapallaz ||| props Laurent Boulanger assisted by Alexis Nabet ||| painting Christophe Ryser, Sybille Portenier ||| material dyeing Marie-Cécile Kolly ||| tapestry maker Freddy Schaller ||| set construction Jean-Marc Bassoli, Olivier Lorétan / The ateliers du Théâtre de Vidy: Michel Beuchat, Hervé Arletti, Thuy Lor Van, Bruno Dani, Stéphane Boulaz, Nicolas Widmer, Nicolas Pilet assisted by Marie Vernay, Hélène Bessero, Florent Nicolet, Adrien Gardel ||| vocal preparation Humberto Ayerbe Pino ||| technical direction Olivier Lorétan ||| prop management Laurent Boulanger ||| stage management Jean-Marc Bassoli ||| sound engineer Emmanuel Nappey ||| lighting engineer Daniel Mome ||| dresser Marucha Castillo ||| with Delphine Bibet, Jean-Luc Couchard, Louis Fortier, Stéphanie Gagneux, Pierre-Yves Le Louarn, Fabiana Medina, Juliette Plumecocq-Mech, Emiliano Suarez, other cast TBA
The text is published by éditions L’Arche Éditeur ||| translation Michel Cadot
Production Teatro Malandro. Coproduction Le Théâtre Forum Meyrin, Geneva | Le Théâtre de la Ville, Paris | Le Théâtre de Namur, Belgium | Le Théâtre de la Place, Liège, Belgium | La Maison de la Culture de Loire-Atlantique, Nantes | Le Théâtre Vidy – Lausanne | Le Théâtre du Gymnase – Marseille | L’Espace Malraux – Chambéry | L’Espace Bonlieu – Annecy | Le Château-Rouge – Annemasse | Le Festival de Teatro de Malaga | El Teatro Cervantès, Malaga, Spain
With the support of the city of Geneva, Cultural Affairs Department and the support of the department of public instruction of the state of Geneva | and of the Loterie Romande.
