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Interview with Maurice Durozier, one of the oldest actors of Théâtre du Soleil, having joined it in 1980 for the show Richard II. The meeting took place between October and December 2014, in a café near Cartoucherie, the group’s headquarters in Paris. In an unpretentious way, the conversation went through topics such as the transmission at Théâtre du Soleil, the preparation and training of the actor, working with the text and the life in a troupe. Entrevista con Maurice Durozier, uno de los actores más antiguos del Théâtre du Soleil, a que se incorporó en 1980 para el espectáculo Richard II. La reunión tuvo lugar entre octubre y diciembre de 2014, en un café cercano a la Cartoucherie, la sede del grupo en París. De una manera no pretenciosa, la conversación pasó por temas como la transmisión en el Théâtre du Soleil, la preparación y el entrenamiento del actor, el trabajo con el texto y la vida en compañía. Entrevista com Maurice Durozier, um dos atores mais antigos do Théâtre du Soleil, no qual ingressou em 1980 para o espetáculo Richard II. O encontro foi realizado entre outubro e dezembro de 2014, em um café próximo à Cartoucherie, sede do grupo em Paris. De forma despretensiosa, a conversa passou por temas como a transmissão no Théâtre du Soleil, a preparação e treinamento do ator, o trabalho com o texto e a vida em trupe.

The present article approaches the contemporary problematics around the notion of theatricality; its various definitions, criticisms and approaches concerning performing arts in the West, according to theorists and artists since the beginning of the 20th century. Supported by a historical approach of theatricality, this article revisits its relation to the notions of performance and performativity, providing material to analyze the emergence of theatricality in the creation of Macbeth (2014) at the Théâtre du Soleil., Cet article aborde la problématique actuelle de la notion de théâtralité, couvrant ses nombreuses définitions, critiques et approches sur la pratique théâtrale en Occident, d’après plusieurs théoriciens et artistes depuis le début du XXe siècle. Appuyé par une approche historique de la théâtralité, l’article revisite notamment ses rapports avec la performance et la performativité, donnant ainsi des fondements pour analyser l’émergence de la théâtralité dans la création de Macbeth (2014) au Théâtre du Soleil., Este artigo aborda a problemática atual da noção de teatralidade, tratando de suas diversas definições, críticas e abordagens no que se refere à prática teatral ocidental, de acordo com teóricos e artistas desde o início do século XX. Baseado em uma abordagem histórica da teatralidade, o artigo revisita sobretudo suas relações com as noções de performance e de performatividade, criando fundamentos para analisar a emergência de teatralidade na criação de Macbeth (2014), no Théâtre du Soleil.

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This study enlightens some principles and guiding procedures of Jean-Jacques Lemêtre's performance as a composer at the Théâtre Du Soleil. It presents exclusive testimonies from the musician, and identifies the knowledges and mechanisms behind the activities practiced in the stages guided by him, the musical-theatrical games., Este estudio esclarce algunos principios y procedimientos que orientan la actuación de Jean-Jacques Lemêtre como compositor en el Théâtre Du Soleil. Presenta testimonios exclusivos del músico, y identifica los saberes y mecanismos detrás de las actividades practicadas en los talleres que conduce, los juegos músico-teatrales., Este texto elucida certos princípios e procedimentos que orientam a atuação de Jean-Jacques Lemêtre enquanto compositor no Théâtre Du Soleil. Apresenta depoimentos exclusivos do músico, e identifica os saberes e mecanismos por trás das atividades praticadas nos estágios que conduz, os jogos músico-teatrais.

Le TRAC connaît un vif succès à Rennes et en Bretagne entre 1976 et 1989. La troupe amateur monte des spectacles à partir d’un travail collectif d’improvisation et nourris de recherches historiques. Influencé par les esthétiques contemporaines, il illustre le mouvement du « théâtre pour dire ». Cette étude de cas est l’occasion de questionner la dimension artistique des pratiques théâtrales en amateur et de l’inscription de celles-ci dans l’histoire du théâtre., The TRAC enjoyed great success in Rennes and Brittany between 1976 and 1989. The amateur troupe puts on shows based on collective improvisation work and fed by historical research. Influenced by contemporary aesthetics, it illustrates the movement of "theater to say". This case study is an opportunity to question the artistic dimension of amateur theatrical practices and their inclusion in the history of theater.

This article features excerpts from an interview by Jean-Jacques Lemêtre to Jean-Marc Quillet, published in the book La musique de Jean-Jacques Lemêtre au Théâtre du Soleil (Paris: Ed. L’Harmattan, 2013). The composer talks about some aspects of his work at the company, detailing the origin of certain procedures and providing details about ideas such as “the actor’s second lung”, “actor as a soloist in the play”, “tuning instruments according to the voice of the actors”., Este artigo apresenta trechos de uma entrevista de Jean-Jacques Lemêtre concedida à Jean-Marc Quillet, publicada no livro La musique de Jean-Jacques Lemêtre au Théâtre du Soleil (Paris: Editora L’Harmattan, 2013). Neles o compositor fala sobre alguns aspectos de sua atuação na companhia, detalhando a origem de certos procedimentos e fornecendo detalhes sobre ideias como “o segundo pulmão do ator”, o “ator como solista do espetáculo”, o “afinar os instrumentos de acordo com a voz dos atores”.

The article revisits the creative process of costumes at the Théâtre du Soleil through testimonials given by costume designers-seamstresses Marie-Hélène Bouvet and Nathalie Thomas and Juliana Carneiro da Cunha, one of the longest-running actresses in the French company. Through the description of the collaboration of four actors – Georges Bigot, Juliana Carneiro da Cunha herself, Shaghayegh Beheshti, and Simon Abkarian – the research highlights the effective participation of the actors in the process of creating the costumes. The main bibliographic references are VIANA (2016; 2004) and FÉRAL (1998;2010)., O artigo revisita o processo criativo dos trajes no Théâtre du Soleil fundamentado nos depoimentos das figurinistas-costureiras Marie-Hélène Bouvet e Nathalie Thomas e no de Juliana Carneiro da Cunha, uma das atrizes há mais tempo na companhia francesa. Por meio da descrição da colaboração de quatro atores – Georges Bigot, a própria Juliana Carneiro da Cunha, Shaghayegh Beheshti e Simon Abkarian –, a pesquisa aponta para a efetiva participação do elenco no processo de criação dos trajes. As principais referências bibliográficas são VIANA (2016; 2004) e FÉRAL (1998; 2010).

The text describes the impressions of the first visit of a researcher to the headquarters of the Théâtre du Soleil, in the Cartoucherie de Vincennes, where he was received by the actresses Juliana Carneiro da Cunha and Fabianna de Mello e Souza., O texto descreve as impressões da primeira visita de um pesquisador à sede do Théâtre du Soleil, na Cartoucherie de Vincennes, quando foi recebido pelas atrizes Juliana Carneiro da Cunha e Fabianna de Mello e Souza.

Taking Kuddiyattam and Théâtre Du Soleil as theatrical strands that create scenic expedients (creative process and theater performance) based on the relationship between actress/actor and musician, we present some elements of this relationship that carries the idea of ‘Music of the Theater’ (a term created by Jean-Jacques Lemêtre). Listening is one of the main aspects, usually linked to an improvisational approach present both in the creation process and in the presentation itself, where the play between the actress/actor and the musician focuses on the creation of characters, scenes, and in establishing the atmosphere of the performance., Tomando o Kuddiyattam e o Théâtre Du Soleil como vertentes teatrais que criam expedientes cênicos (processo criativo e apresentações) pautados na relação entre atriz/ator e musicista/músico, apresentamos alguns elementos desta relação que carregam a ideia de ‘Música do Teatro’ (termo criado por Jean-Jacques Lemêtre). A escuta é um dos principais elementos, e é vinculado à uma abordagem improvisacional presente tanto no processo de criação quanto na apresentação em si, onde o jogo entre a atriz/ator e a musicista/o músico incide sobre a criação de personagens, de cenas e no estabelecimento da atmosfera do espetáculo.

Photo essay of Shakuntala elaboration process (first show in 2019) by its creators Marilyn Nunes (actress / singer) and Alexandre Rosa (musician /actor), whose articulators are Kuddiyattam and Théâtre Du Soleil, practices that create scenic expedients (creative process and presentations) based on the relationship between actress / actor and musician / musician, elements that carry the idea of ‘musique du théâtre (term created by Jean-Jacques Lemêtre)., Ensaio fotográfico do processo de elaboração de Shakuntala (primeira mostra em 2019) por seus criadores Marilyn Nunes (atriz/cantora) e Alexandre Rosa (músico/ator), que têm como articuladores o Kuddiyattam e o Théâtre Du Soleil, práticas teatrais que criam expedientes cênicos (processo criativo e apresentações) pautados na relação entre atriz/ator e musicista/músico, elementos que carregam a ideia de ‘musique du théâtre’ (termo criado porJean-Jacques Lemêtre).

This article aims to offer a succinct overview of some of the principles and procedures that guide the work of Jean-Jacques Lemêtre as a musician at the Théâtre du Soleil, also present in his work conducting theater music courses and workshops. In addition to excerpts of exclusive and unpublished interviews with members and people connected to the company, it brings a small glossary with some of the terms coined about this performance during our PhD research in Arts at the University of São Paulo, with a doctoral internship at the Sorbonne Nouvelle Université Paris 8., Este artigo visa oferecer um panorama sucinto de alguns dos princípios e procedimentos que orientam a atuação de Jean-Jacques Lemêtre enquanto músico do Théâtre du Soleil, e que estão igualmente presentes em sua atuação conduzindo estágios e workshops de música do teatro. Além de trechos de entrevistas exclusivas e inéditas de membros e pessoas ligadas à companhia, traz um pequeno glossário com alguns dos termos cunhados sobre tal atuação no decorrer de nossa pesquisa de Doutorado em Artes na Universidade de São Paulo, com estágio doutoral na Sorbonne Nouvelle Université Paris 8.

The purpose of this text is to discuss the use that Jean-Jacques Lemêtre makes of sound itself as material, with which he weaves a network integrating actor, text, image, space, and sound, which is one of the mainstays of the poetics and dramaturgy of Théâtre du Soleil. From this idea, topics about Soleil’s poetic narrative, some characteristics of the musical repertoire used, a reading of the composer’s sound proposal, his sound dramaturgy, and aspects related to the reception of the spectator/listener are examined., O propósito deste texto é discutir o uso que Jean-Jacques Lemêtre faz do som em si mesmo enquanto material, com que tece uma rede integrando ator, texto, imagem, espaço e sonoridade, a qual é um dos sustentáculos da poética e da dramaturgia do Théâtre du Soleil. A partir dessa ideia, são examinados tópicos sobre a poética narrativa do Soleil, algumas características do repertório musical utilizado, uma leitura da proposta sonora do compositor, sua dramaturgia sonora e aspectos relacionados à recepção do espectador/ouvinte.

Special issue on Music and scene from the Théâtre du Soleil, Apresentação do Dossiê Música e cena do Théâtre du Soleil

a paraitre le 25 juillet 2020; International audience; Il s'agit de la traduction de l'ouvrage Le Theatre du soleil .Les cinquante premières années , Actes sud , mis à jour et enrichi d'un long chapitre qui présente au lecteur la plus récente période de création du Theatre du Soleil . C'est donc un nouveau livre. Le Theatre du Soleil traces the company's history from a group of young, barely trained actors, directors and designers struggling to match their political commitment to a creative strategy, to their grappling with the concerns of migration, separation and exile in the early decades of the 21st century. Beatrice Picon-Vallin recounts how, in the fifty years since their founding, Theatre du Soleil have established themselves as one of the foremost names in modern theatre. Ariane Mnouchkine and her collaborators have developed a unique and ever-evolving style that combines a piercing richness of shape, colour, and texture with precision choreography, innovative musical accompaniment, and multi-layered, metaphorical dreamscapes. This rich, storied history is illustrated by a wealth of spectacular rehearsal and production photos from the company's own archive and interviews with dozens of past and present members, including Mnouchkine herself.Judith G. Miller's timely translation of the first comprehensive history and analysis of a remarkable, award-winning company is a compelling read for both students and teachers of Drama and Theatre Studies.

The play The Terrible but Unfinished Story of Norodom Sihanouk, King of Cambodia by Hélène Cixous, and directed by Ariane Mnouchkine at the Théâtre du Soleil in 1987, deals with the systemic failure of a political culture – transcending spatial and temporal parameters – and its genocidal consequences in national and international contexts, as well as individual and collective resistance. The article aims to study the political and geopolitical narrative as well as Cixous’ interpretation of history, with references to the civil war in Cambodia, the Cold War and the Vietnam War. Our approach to the play, which marks the beginning of the collaboration between the director Ariane Mnouchkine and Hélène Cixous, is that of an exploration and contextualization of its political and historical content to show how, in the words of Cixous, it « pollinates » its literary representation. We will analyze the interaction between discourses on traditionalism and modernization, imperialism and resistance, territoriality and exile. This also includes a study of the meaning of space as a « place of memory », since pay particular attention will be paid to the action of the play and the struggles of power, constantly changing places – whether these are interior or transnational – through Phnom Penh, Beijing, Washington, Paris and Moscow.

International audience; Dans l'article, la recherche porte sur les accents locaux ou étrangers dans le travail théâtral du Théâtre du Soleil (et dans la troupe de Peter Brook.)

Alors que la troupe de Peter Brook, le Centre international de recherche théâtrale, fondé en 1971 à Paris, affiche dans son intitulé son caractère « international », c’est petit à petit que la troupe du Théâtre du Soleil, créée en 1964 et installée en 1970 à la Cartoucherie de Vincennes, s’enrichit d’étrangers. Leur présence n’est ni une déclaration de principe, ni un manifeste, mais une réalité. Les accents sont travaillés, adoucis ou gardés, à condition d’être compréhensibles. Avec des démarches divergentes, ce sont là les deux grands lieux où, dans cette période, la langue théâtrale française se métisse et fait chanter ses mots au point qu’on les entend autrement, plus fort, comme venant d’ailleurs. La question est essentielle et mériterait une étude approfondie. Il s’agit, dans cette contribution, de tenter une première approche de la déjà très longue histoire de l’inscription des accents, régionaux ou lointains, dans le parler théâtral original du Théâtre du Soleil, histoire enrichie dans un second temps par celle de l’inscription des langues et de leurs traductions, qui croise la première sans la recouvrir. Une approche qui ne concerne pas seulement les acteurs, mais les équipes qui les soutiennent à tous les postes nécessaires, et les spectateurs de la Cartoucherie. Whereas Peter Brook’s theatre company, the International Centre for Theatre Research, founded in 1971 in Paris, displays its “international” character in its title, the Théâtre du Soleil, created in 1964 and installed in 1970 at the Cartoucherie de Vincennes, welcomed foreigners little by little. Their presence was neither a statement of principle nor a manifesto, but a reality. Accents were worked on, softened or kept as long as they could be understood. These theatre companies with their different approaches were the two major venues where, during this period, French theatrical language involved a mix, making its words sing out to the extent where people heard them differently, more strongly, as coming from elsewhere. This issue is essential and merits an in-depth study. The present article is a first approach to the history, already quite lengthy, of the inclusion of accents, regional or non-native, into the original theatrical speech of the Théâtre du Soleil, a history further enriched by the inclusion of languages and their translations, which intersects with the former without encompassing it. This approach concerns the actors, the teams that support them in all needed positions and the spectators at the Cartoucherie.

Editions L'Avant scene theatre; International audience

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Cet article se penche sur un rituel propre au Théâtre du Soleil, le « jeu de loges » : au sein de la troupe d’Ariane Mnouchkine, une fois costumés et maquillés, les acteurs « deviennent » le personnage, jouent entre eux comme s’ils étaient réellement celui-ci ; le maquillage, l’habillage, l’attente en coulisses n’y sont pas seulement considérés comme des préalables à l’entrée en scène, ils en sont les prémisses.Entrecroisant des observations de répétitions, des bribes de vie volées aux loges du Théâtre du Soleil, et des témoignages de quelques membres de la troupe, cet article se veut une réflexion sur l’« entrée en jeu » au Théâtre du Soleil : ce « jeu de loges », cette entrée en scène avant la scène, est-il une mise en condition de l’acteur pour le spectacle ? Ou bien une volonté de ne pas limiter le jeu à la scène ? En quoi la manière qu’ont les comédiens du Théâtre du Soleil d’envisager leur « réelle » entrée en scène est-elle modifiée par ce jeu « hors-scène » ? Ou, plus simplement : jouer avant la scène, est-ce déjà entrer en scène ?

En 2010, Ariane Mnouchkine missionne Delphine Cottu et Georges Bigot pour remettre en scène L’Histoire terrible mais inachevée de Norodom Sihanouk, roi du Cambodge d’Hélène Cixous avec les acteurs cambodgiens de Phare Ponleu Selpak. En 1984, au retour d’un séjour qu’elles effectuent dans un camp de réfugiés cambodgiens à la frontière thaïlandaise, Ariane Mnouchkine et Hélène Cixous décident de mettre en scène un des drames les plus effroyables de l’histoire contemporaine. Une épopée de près d...

Artigo sobre o espectaculo Le dernier caravanserail , de Ariane Mnouchkine, Theâtre du Soleil, Paris, 2003.