housewife - Théâtre National

HOUSEWIFE
Collectif Gina and the Withemen
What happens when we exchange
our “inner world for a tangible world,
a world made of choices of clothing,
buildings and cakes…”?
Housewife is a world behind closed doors,
where a woman reveals her
inner self to us.
Housewife is a collective creation, initiated by the young Belgian
actress, Morgane Choupay. This performance brings together three
different genres, live on stage: music with the organist/eclectic-soundcreator David Chazam, fine arts with the plastic artist and domesticelectrical orchestra creator Val Macé (both forming the Ployboy group),
and theatre with the actress Morgane Choupay. This collaboration
gives birth to a strange fable, reminding us of "Alice in Wonderland"
revisited by David Lynch.
The Project
Working on Esther Gerritsen’s text and revealing the strong relation this
woman has with her inner self (both literally and figuratively), gave us
the opportunity to demonstrate how our environment possesses us and
alienates us while we are the ones who actually give shape to it.
This character wants to be "perfect" and wants to live a perfect life.
She would like to reach a material ideal which, in spite of her many
attempts, cannot be reached because her humanity and her past catch
up with her. Her destiny demonstrates our ability to desert ourselves
when it becomes too difficult to face the reality we are confronted with.
© Véronique Vercheval
The text written by Esther Gerritsen in 1999 blurs the borders between
fiction and reality and labours to bring forth a disconcerting universe
where we no longer know whether the woman or the material universe
holds power.
Our inspiration for the creation of this performance are films by David
Lynch (Eraserhead, Blue Velvet…) and Chantal Akerman (Jeanne
Dielman, 23 quai du commerce, 1080 Bruxelles), the video projections
of Tony Oursler, the music of the Residents and John Cage (27 kitchen
sounds).
The Artistic Team
Morgane Choupay
Her aim: explore the means to express “the beyond of words”. She studied at
the Royal Conservatory of Brussels and at the CNSAD of Paris after graduating
in Political sciences. Since then, she has been working as an actress and
performer in classical and more experimental projects (Constanza Macras,
Lorent Wanson, Caroline Marcadé, Melanie Mederlind, Philippe Sireuil,
Armand Delcampe...).
Her inspiration: Roy Anderson, Claude Régy, Fellini, Pommerat...
Her motto: “what our mind thinks is nothing compared to the truth we are
and which expresses itself in silence” Maurice Maerterlinck.
David Chazam
He is an omnidirectional composer based in Brussels, who works in different
musical paradigms such as contemporary dance and music, theatre
(experimental or not), fascinating films, radio creation, music improvisation
and Electropop punk.
He collaborated with key figures such as Jean-Jacques Perrey (pioneer of
Electropop), Christian Boltanski (international artist), Jean-Michel Frère
(Belgian playwright), Lucia Sanchez (Franco-Spanish documentary maker),
Valérie Rivière (French choreographer), and more... • www.chazam.org
Val Macé
He is a young plastic artist whose practice includes sculpture and installation.
He develops an allegorical universe from ordinary objects, which are
sometimes animated like machines or mechanical ensembles enhanced with
electronic and numerical technologies. One of the characteristics of his work
is the tragicomic contrast between the chaos of these installations and the
precision of their mechanical process. • www.valmace.com
So Ployboy
Is a group of boys with stratagems and paradoxes... A performance of
Ployboy is always somewhere in-between a performance and a concert.
Val’s impressive machines reveal their mechanical entrails, full of resounding
objects, wires, solenoids, pipes and engines… All of this is created by means
of refined and current technologies, which are extremely “up to date”, maybe
even “geek”. But more importantly, Val creates beautiful objects, which are
timeless in aspect and sound.
This is not the only paradox of Ployboy. While Val manipulates his furniture
and starts playing mechanical sound sequences, Chazam starts playing
another instrument: the Philicorda. This organ created by Philips in the
sixties is absolutely significant of the era’s sound. Chazam switches between
sequences reminding us of Terry Riley and Nuggets…
The Ployboys do not always make "research music" but rather, whenever
they have the opportunity to play together, they play a music of discoveries.
Nicolas Olivier - light creation
From 1999 to 2013, he works as electrician and then stage manager at
Charleroi/Danses. During this period of time, he works in collaboration with
Frédéric Flamand, Wim Vandekeybus, Mossoux-Bonté, Michèle Anne De
Mey or Jaco Van Dormael. He collaborates on projects such as Kiss & Cry
(co-author) or Neige by Michèle Anne Demey (lights and scenography). He
joins the group ENTORSE in 2010 with whom he develops a practice linked
to the different disciplines that are explored by the collective.
His interest in the performing arts rises with the encounters he makes: Stradella
(lights), opera by César Franck and directed by Jaco Van Dormael, Lettre
à Cassandre by David Strosberg, Les 1001 nuits and Le CID directed by
Dominique Serron.
His skills in scenography and lights are helpful on My Little Cheap Dictaphone’s
tour and on Amnesia, a performance by Jean-Michel Van den Eynden which
was created in the framework of Mons 2015.
Réhab Méhal - external adviser
Director, author and actress since she graduated from INSAS in 2010, she
has been working at the Théâtre National/Brussels, Théâtre le Public, Les
Tanneurs, Théâtre Océan Nord, Balsamine, Bozar, Atelier 210, Théâtre de
Poche, Brass, Théâtre Poème... In Belgium, she is part of Viandes Magnétiques
under the artistic leadership of Jean-Baptiste Calame.
As a playwright, she also collaborates with directors such as Pauline Susini
and Laura Rodriguez. She is the author and director of two solos: Sur le
Chemin and El Kouds (on tour in France and Israël). She is now producing
the third solo called Fille Du Sacrifice, which will constitute the end of this
triptych.
The author
Esther Gerritsen
As a novelist and playwright, Esther Gerritsen (born in 1972) is considered
to be one of the best writers of Dutch literature. In 1999, she is granted the
German-Dutch Youth Theatre price in Duisburg. In 2001, she receives the
Charlotte Köhler subsidy for her theatre pieces. In 2005, her second novel
Normale dagen (Ordinary Days, 2005) is granted the Dif/BGN price. De
kleine miezerige Dieu (2008) and Superduif (Superpigeon, 2010) also had
several prices. Gerritsen was nominated as being one of the ten best young
Dutch writers by the Hollands Diep magazine.
In 2012, her novel Dorst (Craving) was chosen for four literature prices. In
2014, she receives the Frans Kellendonk price for her work.
Housewife has been played several times on October 8th 1999 at the
Gasthuis Théâtre Amsterdam, under the direction of Alexander Koch, with
Jantien Koenders. The monologue has been published in 2003, in a collection
of 4 pieces by European authors, published by the Atelier D.
The translation
Esther Gerritsen’s text has been translated by Morgane Choupay and
Anna Lien (French actress). The translation was based on the original Dutch
version, and was supervised by Romain Lodewyck. It was also based on the
English version which has been partly approved of by Esther Gerritsen and
supervised by Eliane Kornie, native English teacher.
What the press says…
“Morgane Choupay is very convincing when playing the complex role of a
faltering woman-object. Her two talented associates, David Chazam and Val
Macé (Ployboy), both multidisciplinary artists, add a touch of mystery and
strangeness to the story when giving life to the objects that obsess her. The
performance is very surprising (should this household electrical 'ballet' make
us laugh or cry?) and is certainly worth seeing. The encounter of diverse
influences, such as Lynch or Pommerat, leads to this interesting and intriguing
choice of performance.” (translated in English from Catherine Sokolowski’s
article in Demandez le programme)
By and with
Morgane Choupay, David Chazam, Val Macé
Light creation
Nicolas Olivier
External adviser
Réhab Méhal
Production
Théâtre National/Bruxelles
Thanks to
Théâtre de Poche/Bruxelles,
WBT/D & Stéphanie Barboteau for her knowing look.
Translation
Morgane Choupay & Anna Lien
L’Arche is the agent of the represented text.
www.arche-editeur.com
© Véronique Vercheval
TOUR INFORMATION
Tour management: Théâtre National/Bruxelles
Running time: 70’
Team: max 5 people on tour
1
actor
2
performers
2 technicians
1 sound
operator
1 light
operator
TECHNICAL RIDER
Dimensions wished for
Opening of the stage:
10m minimum
Minimal height under grid:
8m minimum
Minimal dimensions of the set:
14m wall to wall / depth 8m
Pre-set up necessary
ON THE ROAD
The performance was created in Théâtre National/Brussels on 12 April
2016.
Season 16/17
Almada (PO)
Festival de Almada
13/07/2016
FINANCIAL CONDITIONS
For more details about financial conditions, please contact the international
distribution & tour department of the National Theatre/Brussels.
3
“She has everything.
She has absolutely everything.
She has an apple-corer.
She has a mushroom brush.
She has Calgon, the steam iron descaler.
She has Skip, the miraculous stain-remover.
She has an egg beheader.
[…]
Three egg cups.
A pourer.
She has him.”
INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION
& TOUR DEPARTEMENT
Charlotte Jacques
Head of international distribution & tour departement
+ 32 2 274 23 51
+ 32 499 29 63 59
cjacques@theatrenational.be
Juliette Thieme
International distribution & tour manager
+32 2 274 23 58
+32 486 53 17 31
jthieme@theatrenational.be
•
TECHNICAL TEAM
Yvan Harcq
Technical director
+ 32 2 274 23 35
+ 32 495 22 00 65
yharcq@theatrenational.be
Michel Ransbotyn
Stage manager
+ 32 2 274 23 95
+ 32 499 16 25 89
mransbotyn@theatrenational.be
•
theatrenational.be