Three theatrical myths closely related, but until now unknown to each other. Harlequin is the first, the Italian Commedia Del Arte's valet character, who has become terribly French and is strongly motivated by devilish ideas. The second is Taro-Kaja, he's from Japanese traditional theatre, and is the cheeky manservant of Kyogen - the farce that is performed in between two No plays. The third is the Monkey King of Chinese opera - king, animal and a character that uses all his cheekiness to ridicule the most powerful Emperor of the Heavens. So, one character from the West and two from the East. What do they have to say to each other ? First of all, they talk about their own different natures, talent, they explain their body gestures, their words and their humour. Then, face-to-face on stage, they discover their similarities and differences. They begin, between two and then among three, a dramatic dialogue. Their burlesque difficulties and their comical conflicts lead them to a search for individual and collective perfection. They find harmony at the end of the play, they become three-in-one. Harlequin and his brothers from Asia reach the fraternity of insolence and share their theatrical traditions.
Distribution
stage direction Didier Galas
cast : Zhihua Dong (China), Didier Galas (France), Kaoru Matsumoto (Japan)
artistic collaboration : Jean-Philippe Vidal
stage set : Daniel Jeanneteau
Harlequin's mask : Erhard Stiefel
Harelquin's costume : Virginie and Jean-Jacques Weil
Lighting : Pablo Roy
script advisers : Francois Bon and Yasusuke Oura
adviser in : China Ziru Zheng-Blaize
translators : Fabiola Gonzalez (Chinese) and Dominique Palmé (Japanese)
Production
coproduction : Ensemble Lidonnes, La Comédie de Clermont-Ferrand-scène nationale, Théâtre de la Manufacture-Centre dramatique national Nancy Lorraine, Théâtre de la Ville-Paris, Maison de la Culture-scène nationale d'Amiens (dans le cadre d'Amiens 2000-les Couleurs du Monde) et Festival d'Avignon.
avec le soutien du ministère de : la Culture-DRAC Ile-de-France, des Laboratoires d'Aubervilliers, de l'AFAA-association française d'action artistique-ministère des Affaires étrangères et de la Ville d'Amiens, du service culturel de l'Ambassade de France en Chine, du service culturel de l'Ambassade de France au Japon, de l'Institut Franco-Japonais du Kansaï, de la Ferme du Buisson-scène nationale et de la Fondation du Japon.
avec le concours de : l'Adami
remerciements à : Marcel Lidonnes, Daniel Blaize, Naoko Tamamura