Director and singer Clara Le Picard receives an anonymous package. Inside, she finds a letter warning her that she can only open the sealed envelope that comes with it in the presence of a dancer, a pianist, and an audience. Curiosity and the need to share this mystery lead her to the stage, today, before us, where, accompanied by Maud Pizon and a strange pianist, she opens the envelope and discovers its contents: musical scores and indications for a musical drama entitled Ma Barbe bleue (My Bluebeard). Although he claims to have found it in an attic, the author of the letter seems intent on having the dancer, pianist, and singer put on the play. Its version of Bluebeard's wife seems similar to that of the fairy tale, but to her story is added another one about a masterpiece forgotten in an attic, if not lost for good... Performing the songs, dances, and melodies, the three artists try to find in them hints as to their origin, in order to guess who wrote them. When an usher brings Clara a record, the game takes a turn for the disturbing: could the anonymous instigator of the event be in the room?
Published in 1697, Charles Perrault's fairy tale Bluebeard tells of the fate of a rich and powerful lord, who manages to seduce a young woman thanks to his kindness and gentleness, and in spite of the frightening colour of his beard. After the wedding, he leaves on a business trip and gives her the keys to the castle, only forbidding her the use of one of them. The young bride's curiosity, however, is too strong. A furious Bluebeard promises to make her join the corpses of his previous wives she discovered in the secret room, but the delay he grants her allows her brothers to come to her aid and kill him.
Distribution
Text, direction and stage design Clara le Picard
Music Or Solomon
Choreography Maud Pizon
Lights Abigail Fowler
Costumes Marion Poey
Outside viewer Ghassan El Hakim
Body language adviser Daniel Larrieu
Dramartugy collaboration Laurence Perez
Assistant director Anne-Sophie Popon
With Guilhem Jeanjean, Clara Le Picard, Maud Pizon, Emmanuel Borghi (pianist)
Production
Production Théâtre du Jeu de Paume (Aix-en-Provence)
Co-production Espace des Arts Chalon-sur-Saône, Compagnie À Table (Marseille)
With the support of Montevideo Center of contemporary creation (Marseille), la Ménagerie de Verre (Paris), French Institut of Casablanca