• Advertise
  • Request Review
  • Write for Us
  • Privacy
  • Login

Theatre Bubble

The UK Theatre Network

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Reviews
  • News
  • Features
  • Spotlight
  • Opinions
  • Interviews
  • Guides

Du Goudron et des Plumes at the Barbican

February 1, 2011 by Tessa Ditner Leave a Comment

Review of: Du Goudron et des Plumes at the Barbican
Produced by:
Tessa Ditner

Reviewed by: Tessa Ditner
Rating:
5
On February 1, 2011
Last modified:March 22, 2014

Summary:

Fuel for our creative brains

More Details

large-6The Barbican’s blurb that this show was inspired by “John Steinbeck’s 1937 novel Of Mice and Men” is a bit of a fib. Du Goudron et des Plumes has nothing to do with Steinbeck (apart from the costumes maybe). It is the latest concoction by super circus-theatre company MPTA and Mathurin Bolze. Bolze is famous in France for having received the Prix du Cirque. MPTA stands for -Les Mains les Pieds et la Tête Aussi- which means Hands, Feet and the Head Also. It’s like the brand ‘Hello Kitty’, a kooky name hiding an empire of hard work.

It’s hard to be impressed by acrobatics when you’ve seen Cirque du Soleil’s O in Las Vegas and have a kung-fu movie addiction, but my eyes were leaning out of their sockets for every second of this 75 minute show. The blend of dance and acrobatic storytelling was performed from a heavily swinging, rising and floating stage. But it wasn’t just the technical details that stunned, it was also the unpredictability from one move to the next.

The performers fought, tick tocked between vertical floorboards, spun and perched like monkeys, they even fell and caught themselves just in time using a rope or their own limbs. Without uttering a single sentence, five people lived and loved and grew on a continuously redefined stage space.

Is this show about survival? Is it about human frailty or the passing of time? Is it a Homer-type ship? Or is it just clowning with acrobatics and a giant prop? I’m not sure, but there are moments of calm, like the man smoking, his dressing gown ruffling in the night breeze. There are moments of cute details, like the girl making a paper skirt and the couple fighting and then kissing violently (so French!) There are also brilliant comedy moments, like the mirror image of the two men, one upside down, both watering their plants, or the dangling light, used for acrobatics, turning up bright just as he is about to grab it to go for a bit of a spin and blinding him instead.

But my absolute favourite moment was when one of the performers, standing dangerously close to the edge of the diving board, doing back flips (as one does), lifts his foot and instead of doing another back flip, kicks the dust, like a bored teenager waiting for life to happen.

Because this is the Theatre Network, I wondered what the value of this show was to us theatre makers. Here is the list of what I’ll be applying to my own creative enterprise:

• Open ended is good, it fuels ideas, let stories be vague, it allows the audience to impress their own interpretation, therefore making it their own
• Contrast drama with the banal (e.g.: back flips + dust kick, or floating in the air + blinded by light bulb)
• Sometimes you can do it without a storyline, but in that case, pretend your work is loosely based on an English classic
• Seamless, effortless look = bloody hard work.

Brains: Mathurin Bolze
Assistant : Marion Floras
With : Tsirihaka Harrivel, Tom Neal, Maroussia Diaz Verbèke, Erwan Ha Kyoon Larcher, Mathurin Bolze
Set: Goury
Lights : Jérémie Cusenier, Christian Dubet
Sound/Music : Philippe Foch, Jérôme Fèvre
Costumes : Fabrice Ilia Leroy
Construction : Art&Oh/le Bureau d’étude des artistes, Side up concept, Philippe Cottais, Max Potiron, Franck Marrec

For more information see http://compagnie-mpta.com/galerie.php?num=4 and http://www.barbican.org.uk

Image: Christophe Raynaud De Lage

Author: Tessa Ditner

Filed Under: Review

Join the discussion Cancel reply

INTERVIEW / Daniel Hoffmann-Gill on The Great Almighty Gill

We spoke to Daniel Hoffmann-Gill about his autobiographical performance of The Great Almighty Gill that’s heading to the Edinburgh Fringe [Read More]

INTERVIEW / Kati Raatikainen on Kvartetto

We spoke to choreographer Kati Raatikainen about her upcoming performance of Kvartetto at the Edinburgh Fringe as part of the [Read More]

INTERVIEW / Harry Butler on Changing the Sheets

We spoke to writer and performer Harry Butler about his upcoming performance of Changing the Sheets, presented by The Playground [Read More]

INTERVIEW / Jamaal Burkmar on DONUTS

We spoke to choreographer Jaamal Burkmar about Extended Play’s upcoming performance of DONUTS at the Edinburgh Fringe, presented by The [Read More]

INTERVIEW / Heather Milsted tells us about her show Period Dramas

We spoke to actor and writer Heather Milsted about her upcoming show, Period Dramas, that’s heading to the Edinburgh Fringe [Read More]

Top Posts & Pages

  • 10 Tips to Help You Prepare for Your Reality TV Auditions
  • 5 Stage Elements to Consider for a Rousing Theatrical Production
  • Katy Owen: LAMDA Audition (First Round)
  • The Threepenny Opera at the National Theatre
  • Joe Strickland on why they will be keeping things digital
  • A Streetcar Named Desire- A cry of pain- Young Vic
  • Does Small to Mid Scale Theatre Touring Actually Work?
  • Katy Owen: Auditioning for Oxford School of Drama
  • Sarah Bodalbhai on Escape from Planet Trash
  • Writing the Perfect Press Release
  • Tessa Ditner
    Author

  • February 1st, 2011
  • comment iconNo Comments
  • FacebookTweetLinkedInEmail

    Newsletter

    Enjoyed what you've read? Get even more great content directly to your inbox - Completely Free

    About Theatre Bubble

    Theatre Bubble is the news, review and blogging site created by Blue Pie Media and run by a dedicated team of outstanding editors and writers: we're always looking for new contributors - to find out more click here.

    Contact Us

    News: news@theatrebubble.com
    Reviews: reviews@theatrebubble.com
    Website: webmaster@theatrebubble.com

    Privacy Policy

    Copyright © 2022 · Blue Pie Media

     

    Loading Comments...
     

      Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

      Email sent!