Alone, he passes through this world and crosses the borders, but he is not of the world. He has left his tribe. An exile who is always searching... From the other Shore, from this new world... And nevertheless he is led like a blind man by his past, his history.
In the heart of the desert, at the top of the hill, he takes refuge in a cave, a high place from which he can view the world.
He will take refuge in this underground world, as if he were in a womb On the rock, he notices the cave paintings, the traces of an entire human race... The wall will be like a pervious veil between the daily world and the other world... Each crack, each hole, each opening, will tell him the great story of Men ... Humanity takes shape and he is a member of it... His body will come to life linking him with thousands of million of years of life times. From the time that the first man lived in the cave and left his traces... The past will seem very close to him. The cave area becomes the place of journeys for the succession of identities that he carries with him. And the cracks in the wall will become the gaps of his own body... The walls of his cave, his skin which must be torn away in order to reach a door ... Like a new birth ...he is not an orphan, but the son of ... From one land, one mother, one father, the incarnation of an ancestor, of all mankind.
How does he, on the wake of a new millennium, a new era, within the core of himself, in this cave, in its womb, receive the vital force of this inheritance and at the same time free himself from the chains of the past, from all hurtful memories, from all suffering which has accumulated in his body in order to finally be able to dance free and naked in the wind, dance with the others from here or elsewhere, and receive tomorrow like a new promise ?
Physical, musical and poetic theatre of imagery. the actors and dancers of Africa and the Indian Ocean dance, sing and play the visible and invisible links, the rituals of the Journey and necessary reconciliation in order to live freely...
Philippe PELEN's production and text will require direct and pure emotion inspired by the oral tradition of Africa and the Indian Ocean as well as a chorus piece, Philippe PELEN will make use of a choreographer and a painter both from South Africa for the work on the movement and scenery.
A cave, a cavern, a hole, an underground area, a womb, a grave, the place of metamorphosis, the dead and the reincarnated, a sacred area, border between the visible and invisible, this space is at the heart of the desert, mineral desert or the desert of large cities at the heart of the world. In this dark and gloomy universe, there are cave paintings, ancestral paintings on the wall which link beyond time, to the beginning and the fore, like a pathway, there are luminous signs, objects, cabalistic objects and the body, the actors, the body of people whose gap, cry, chasm, give a sigh, signs of life, hope. Thus in the space, the paintings of Samson will be projected differently in each picture, and the actors will develop in this painting in order to fill the time, develop beyond tome. Its the journey: journey into time, in space, from exile into exile, from one age to another will be depicted on stage. And the music, the deep and grave sounds of the drums, the bobre, the mbiras, the marimbas give the rhythm to this journey as well as the chorus. The cave is the place of the rituals of the renewal, that man stands before the rock or before the door.
Bodies dance, expressing a word, to which one can dance, to a dance which can be told.
The staging within this cave, the movement initiated between the bodies which come alive within this painting, are inspired by the creation of a universe on levels, where several worlds are superimposed, parallel to another.
There will therefore be an important link between the images projected, the images of cave paintings, and shamanism, the contact with the beyond. the relationship between shamanism and cave paintings has been established in various parts of the world: Africa, America, Australia and to a large extent in European Palaeolithic art, cave art. In this approach there is something profoundly intimate, deep rooted and at the same time completely universal.
Director : Philippe PELEN (Reunion)
Following a pluridiscilines training to stage arts and an important research on ritual and representation, Philippe PELEN plays, conducts, produces play in France. The meeting which motivates him is the one of the people, culture, the one between the Orient and the West, the one between Oral Traditions and Theatre.
Then ... arrival in Reunion Island and ... second birth; birth of fire, of volcano and ocean.
Founder and director of Theatre TALIPOT, author and producer, his performances were shown in all Indian Ocean, in East and Austral Africa, in Europe, in Oceania, and in North America.
Philippe PELEN is in search for a theatric art fed from mixed-blood and from oral tradition. Authentic and contemporary art.
Assistant director : Thierry MOUCAZAMBO (Reunion)
Thierry follows the drama school at the Cultural Action Centre in Reunion Island, and at the Roy Hart Theatre. He took part of all the productions of the Theatre Talipot. Thierry was involved in different films and led training workshops at the French Education Department , desabled centres, in prisons and with different theatral companies.
Choreographer : Vincent MANTSOE (South Africa)
Scenography and Painting : Samson MNISI (South Africa)
Samson studied at a community art school in Soweto, later went at Fuba Academy, he joined the Artists Proof Studio and he specialised in monoprints. He exhibited in various group exhibitions and collaborated with various artsits. His works are archeological more like discovery of one hidden originality unearthing our own common history and beginnings. He Took part in the French Institute Bastille Day Celebrations, where various artists were commissioned to do a work "Marchons" in 24 hours.
Music Composition : Eunice Matlakala VILENKULU (South Africa)
Eunice (30) born at Alexandra, the older township of South Africa. She has been involved in cultural activities from the tender age Today she is a teacher in a school of the township. She joined the ANC Choir early 1990, she was, in this choir, conductor of the alto.
At the same time, since 1997, she leads Amakhono We Sinthu Choir, writes drama and composes music.
Light Creation : Joel BOYER (Reunion)
After the Sarlat Festival, the Marais Festival, the House of Culture of Le Havre (France), Joel BOYER has been the technical manager for 30 years of the Office Departmental of the Culture of Reunion Island. As a Designer, his true passion remains lighting. Very touched by universal tales and oral traditions, by physical theatre and dance, he has designed the lighting and sets of most of Theatre TALIPOT's productions. Joel BOYER's lighting is a great partner of actors; it clothes them and follows them in the pure aesthetic and simplicity of "The Water Carriers"
Bertrand BUISSON (Reunion)
Actors :
Eunice Matlakala VILENKULU (South Africa)
(read above)
Litafi HARIMETI (Zimbabwe)
Artist from Zimbabwe (29) he is trained to dance, to song and to play music.
Litafi was a student of the Ballet National School of Zimbabwe called "Tumbuka". He is teaching dance and choreography and dedicates himself to the township's artists, particularly "Savannah Arts", artistic association from M'bare-Harare (Zimbabwe)
Blessing MUBATWA (Zimbabwe)
Young musician, singer, composer and dancer from Zimbabwe (22). His work is link to traditional and modernity.
Blessing plays several music instruments : marimbas, percussion ... His favourite of them is M'bira or Sanza that he is practising since the age of five.
His artistic involvement as a creator is dedicated to the street children and the street art.
Stanley MAMBO (Zimbabwe)
Actor, singer, dancer from Zimbabwe (22).
After drama studies, he became actor and director of the company Tendai Arts. He works in the townships.
Jean Christophe PATIN (Reunion)
Student of Phillipe Pelen, Jean Christophe (29) is one of the permanent actor of the Theatre Talipot.
Lina DANG (Reunion)
Lina recieved an artistic education in Vietnam, particulary in dance, music and tai-chi. In France Lina followed puppet, mask and singing workshops
Production :
Laurent CLAVEL - Theatre TALIPOT (Reunion)
Anne DISSEZ - AMAKHONO Art Centre (South Africa)
In South Africa since 1993, as a journalist, Anne is currently specialised in art media. She is alsol one of the organizers of Amakhono Art Centre, a residence of artists situated on the edge of Soweto. She was, in 1997, the representative in South Africa of the Nantes Festival (France), where more or less 350 South African artists and intellectuals was invited.
South African Distribution : Jeff SHUTT (South Africa)