CONTEMPOrarY PUPPETEER
j'y pense et puis...- Tof theatre, belgium
Puppeteer
2015-2017
Performed 50 times, touring in Belgium, France and Luxembourg.
Script, director, scenographer, puppets designer: Alain Moreau
Assistants script and direction: Laura Durnez, Bao Ghislain and Dorothée Schoonooghe
Actors and puppeteers: Laura Durnez, Bao Ghislain and Dorothée Schoonooghe (rotational)
Lighting design: Laura Durnez, Jérôme Lenain and Bao Ghislain
Lighting & sound cue operator: Bao Ghislain or Dorothée Schoonooghe (rotational)
Stage technician: Jérôme Lenain
Interns: Monelle Van Gyzegem, Carine Delberghe
Music: Max Vandervorst
Costumes designer: Céline Robaszinski
Remote control truck designer: Sébastien Boucherit
Photos: Gilles Destexhe and Alain Moreau
“With ‘J’y pense et puis…’ Tof Théâtre wants to enlighten minds and scream out its rage. An inventive show, full of surprises, which takes us where we didn’t expect to. (…) Without word, the show is full of symbols where everybody can interpret them how they wish.”
Laurence Bertels – La Libre (Belgium, national newspaper)
“Darkness- maybe not, but serioussness- certainly: Tof Théâtre chooses with ‘J’y pense et puis…’ a darker tone.. Puppets are mixed with Object Theatre, to look with irony over our attitude in front of the migrant crisis.
Like always, with subtlety, humour and poesy, Tof Théâtre proves once more its endless creativity. As for the puppets, they are more alive than ever.”
Emilie Garcia Guillen - Suricate Magazine (Belgium, internet blog)
“Far from being indifferent, the artists (…) question themes such as exile, refugee’s place in the society, or the role of each individual in our society. ‘J’y pense et puis…’ from Tof Théâtre (Belgium) stars Antoine et Gaby, two human-sized carried puppets as house movers of a particular kind.”
Cristina Marino – Le Monde (France, national newspaper)
Piccoli sentimenti- Tof theatre, belgium
Puppeteer, musician
2013-2014
A show without words for an audience of age 3 and up, drawing its inspiration from the world of Antonio Catalano.
It all began when Flavia Armenzoni, the Director of the Teatro Delle Briciole (Italy), presented the idea to Alain Moreau, Artistic Director of the Tof Theatre (Belgium). The idea took form, following a series of improvised experiments with a little puppet and seeing them evolve within the setting of miniature wooden constructions and strange towers in Antonio Catalono’s workshop, the creator of Sensitive Worlds...
Show dreamed up by Antonio Catalano and Alain Moreau.
Script, puppetry and directing: Alain Moreau
Artistic accompaniment: Antonio Catalano
Scenography: Alain Moreau, along the lines of an original idea instigated by Antonio Catalano
Creation of the soundscape, musical instruments and musical score: Max Vandervorst
Creative team: Sandrine Hooge, Céline Robaszynski
Lighting design: Emiliano Curà and Dimitri Joukovsky
Actors and puppeteers: Céline Robaszynski and Sandrine Hooge, or Sarah Demarthe and Bao Ghislain (teams in rotation)
Touring stage manager, lighting and sound operator: Bao Khanh Ngouansavanh or Jérôme Lenain (in rotation)
Assistant to the scenography: Céline Robaszynski
Costumes: Patrizia Caggiati
Stage set designer: Paolo Romanini
Setting in orbit and inspired advice: My-Linh Bui.
awards
- Winner of“Prix Résonnances” prize at the 21st Festival International Jeune Public Momix in Kingersheim (France);
- Nominated in Belgium as the best show in the category ‘Young Audiences’ at the 2012 “Prix de la Critique”;
- Winner of “Coup de Coeur” by the press (Rencontres de Huy - August 2012).
“An actress is manipulating a puppet while a musician creates a soft atmosphere on unusual music instruments from a wild and raw lute-making. An artistic collaboration between a plastic artist, a musician and Tof Théâtre, issuing a jewel of sensibility and subtlety.”
Françoise Sabatier-Morel, Télérama (France, national newspaper)
“Here is a precious moment which reunites us all, youngs and grown-ups, around a miniature landscape which will reveal progressively its mysteries.”
Dominique Duthult, France Inter (France, national radio)
Polystyrene workshops - Tof Théâtre
Workshop animator
2014-2016
Workshop conductor of puppet crafting made out of polystyrene material (conducted in Belgium, France, Spain, Germany, Balearic Island, and Luxembourg) for Tof Théâtre, in Belgium.
The workshop is designed for 30 persons, for all ages and levels. For an hour, participants learn the basics of how Tof Théâtre builds its puppets for its own shows.
Shadow Theatre workshops - Autoproduction
Puppeteer and shadow puppet theatre workshop conductor
2009-2011
Workshops for young audience starting from 3 y-o. Participants had the opportunity to attend first to a short shadow theatre show. Later on, for one hour, they were invited to craft their shadow puppets, to create and perform their own show.
With the help of the producers A.C.T.O.R (Cultural Association of Theatre and Origami in Romania) and Olga Gudynn International School, I had the chance to perform and conduct workshops in culturally disadvantaged area such as orphanages, children hospitals, disabled and autist child care, in regular or private primary schools and kindergartens in Bucharest, Romania and other rural areas within the country.