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Le Monde Interactif - Going out
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Le Monde.fr
"THE JUST-STORY:
THE ART OF DISPLEASING ACCORDING TO DAVID NOIR
Wednesday 9 January 2002
WITHDRAWN FROM THE BILL BY PIERRE CARDIN IN JUNE 2001 AFTER ONE WEEK'S PROGRAMMING IN ITS NEW THEATRE, DAVID NOIR'S TROUPE, "LES PURITAINS", RETURNS TO THE STAGE OF A PARISIAN THEATRE, THE TRIANON, FOR EIGHT EXCEPTIONAL PERFORMANCES FROM 7 TO 10 AND 14 TO 17 JANUARY 2002. THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC AND THE CRITICS TO FINALLY DISCOVER "THE OBJECT OF THE CRIME" AND TO JUDGE ON THE SPOT THIS UNUSUAL CREATION, FORBIDDEN TO UNDER 18S, HALOED BY A SCENT OF SCANDAL AND CENSORSHIP.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
IT IS DIFFICULT TO EVALUATE DAVID NOIR'S NEW PLAY ACCORDING TO THE USUAL CRITERIA OF THEATRE CRITICISM. THE TRADITIONAL WAYS OF THINKING DO NOT APPLY WELL TO THIS "UNIDENTIFIED THEATRICAL OBJECT" WHOSE MAIN OBJECTIVE SEEMS TO BE TO BREAK WITH INSTITUTIONAL THEATRE AND TO FLOUT THE ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF CLASSICAL REPRESENTATION. ONE THING IS CERTAIN: "LES JUSTES-STORY", THE SECOND CREATION OF THIS YOUNG DIRECTOR AFTER "LES PURITAINS" - A PLAY WRITTEN IN 1997-98 AND PERFORMED AT THE LAVOIR MODERNE IN PARIS BETWEEN MARCH AND SEPTEMBER 2000 -, DOES NOT MAKE A FUSS.
PROVOCATION, BAD TASTE, PORNOGRAPHY, OBSCENITY... WHAT CHARACTERISES THIS 'CLOWNISH MANGA-MUSICAL COMEDY 100% HATE' AT FIRST SIGHT, TO QUOTE THE POSTER ITSELF. FROM THE VERY FIRST MINUTES OF THE PERFORMANCE, EVERYTHING IS DONE TO MAKE THE AUDIENCE FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE AND TO MAKE THEM LEAVE THEIR USUAL PASSIVITY. THE TRICKS MOST OFTEN USED TO MAKE PEOPLE BELIEVE IN THE ILLUSION OF THEATRE ARE SYSTEMATICALLY SUPPRESSED OR DIVERTED HERE. NO CURTAIN CALL, NO DARKENED AUDITORIUM BUT A LIGHT ILLUMINATING THE AUDIENCE THROUGHOUT THE PERFORMANCE, ACTORS WHO OPENLY READ THEIR TEXTS RATHER THAN RECITING THEM, BACKSTAGE AREAS THAT ARE DELIBERATELY VISIBLE WHERE THE MEMBERS OF THE TROUPE DISCUSS, EAT A BITE TO EAT, SMOKE A CIGARETTE BETWEEN TWO LINES. THE SACROSANCT DISTANCE BETWEEN THE STAGE AND THE AUDIENCE, WHICH DAVID NOIR BELIEVES IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LETHARGY OF THE AUDIENCE, IS ABOLISHED: THE ACTORS MOVE FREELY BETWEEN THE SEATS, SIT NEXT TO THE AUDIENCE AND CHAT WITH THEM. THIS DESIRE TO MAKE THE AUDIENCE REACT, TO PROVOKE IT TO ITS FURTHEST LIMITS, SEEMS TO BE SET UP AS AN ABSOLUTE RULE, A BASIC PRINCIPLE PUSHED TO THE EXTREME. EVEN IF IT MEANS SEEING ENTIRE ROWS OF SPECTATORS LEAVE AFTER FIFTEEN MINUTES, TOO SHOCKED OR IRRITATED TO ATTEND THE REST OF THE PERFORMANCE. HOWEVER, THERE IS NO POINT IN GOING ON AND ON ABOUT THE SUBJECT OF THE PLAY ITSELF. LET'S JUST SAY THAT IT'S ABOUT SEX (A LOT), MONEY AND POWER. LET'S JUST SAY THAT IT'S ABOUT SEX (A LOT), MONEY AND POWER - ALL FAIRLY COMMONPLACE THEMES, BUT PRESENTED HERE IN THEIR MOST EXCESSIVE AND OBSCENE FORMS. THE WHOLE THING IS IMPREGNATED WITH A VERY MODERN AESTHETIC MADE UP OF A MIXTURE OF MANGA, VIDEO GAMES, TV SHOW CREDITS AND PORNOGRAPHIC IMAGES. THE "PURITANS" (EIGHT ACTORS AND ONE ACTRESS) BRING TO LIFE WITH GREAT ENERGY AND CONVICTION A GALLERY OF ZANY CHARACTERS HALFWAY BETWEEN CARTOON HEROES, TV PRESENTERS AND MOVIE STARS. THEY ALL SEEM TO BE TRAPPED IN A HUGE TV GAME SHOW, A SORT OF "LOFT STORY" IN A TRASHY VERSION, PRESENTED BY A SADISTIC HOST WHO SUBJECTS THEM TO THE WORST HUMILIATIONS. WITH AN ALMOST UNHEALTHY DESIRE TO SHOW AND REVEAL EVERYTHING ON STAGE, OFTEN TO THE POINT OF SATURATION AND DISGUST: BODIES, SEXES (ESPECIALLY THOSE OF MEN). THE MOST BARBARIC OR IMMORAL ACTS (PAEDOPHILIA, INCEST, RAPE, SODOMY). WHICH PARTLY EXPLAINS THE VIOLENT REACTIONS OF CERTAIN SPECTATORS, INCLUDING PIERRE CARDIN (SEE OUR ARTICLE OF 27 JUNE 2001 ON THIS SUBJECT).
IT IS A PITY THAT, IN THIS PLAY, THE FORM OFTEN PREVAILS OVER THE CONTENT. INDEED, BEHIND THE DELIBERATELY OUTRAGEOUS PROVOCATIONS OF THE STAGING, WHICH MAY LEGITIMATELY SHOCK SOME OF THE AUDIENCE, THE VERY CONTENT OF "JUSTES-STORY" IS WORTH A LOOK. FIRST OF ALL, BECAUSE DAVID NOIR HAS A REAL TALENT FOR WRITING AND HE HANDLES THE FRENCH LANGUAGE WITH SKILL.ÇEASY. HIS TEXT IS FULL OF PUNS, BOTH REALLY ORIGINAL AND SOMETIMES MORE FACILE, TO DEPICT THE ILLS OF SOCIETY. A STRANGE MELODY OF CHAOS EMERGES, A POETRY OF THE ABSURD. BUT YOU HAVE TO LISTEN CAREFULLY TO HEAR IT BEHIND THE CLATTER OF THE MUSIC AND THE NOISY IRONY OF THE SAUCY PARODIES OF FASHIONABLE SONGS. BEHIND THE APPEARANCES OF A GRAND-GUIGNOLICAL CIRCUS, "LES JUSTES-STORY" CONCEALS REAL TREASURES OF WRITING AND VERY CONTEMPORARY QUESTIONS.
AT A TIME WHEN THE OBSESSION WITH SEX HAS INVADED THE OTHER FIELDS OF CULTURE, LITERATURE AND PAINTING, WHEN IMAGES OF VIOLENCE AND BLOOD ARE SHOWN ALL DAY LONG ON OUR TELEVISION SCREENS, WHY SHOULD THE THEATRE REMAIN OUTSIDE THIS GENERAL TREND? HOW CAN THIS OMNIPRESENCE OF SEX BE TRANSLATED ONTO THE STAGE WITH ACTORS IN THE FLESH? THESE ARE ALL QUESTIONS TO WHICH DAVID NOIR ATTEMPTS TO PROVIDE AN ORIGINAL ANSWER WITH HIS PLAY. AT THE RISK OF DISPLEASING MORE THAN ONE SPECTATOR.
CRISTINA MARINO
