Bêtes de foire

Décrochez-moi-ça

The Bêtes de Foire ensemble was formed from the meeting of Laurent Cabrol, a
circus artist, and Elsa De Witte, a costume designer and actress.

Laurent trained with Annie Fratellini and Lana N'Guyen, co-founded the Convoi Exceptionnel and Trottola ensembles, and collaborated with many artists – Raphaëlle Delaunay, Romanès Circus, and Théâtre du Rugissant theatre, where he met Elsa.

Elsa has roots in street theatre, particularly with the Cie Babylone company. She is fascinated by simple and folk stories and is devoted to the creative use of old
materials, which she recycles and transforms into artistic objects.

From their first performance to a new challenge

Their first performance, Petit théâtre de gestes, launched in 2013, combined all their skills and created a unique theatrical world. The circus comes alive not only with emotions and disciplines but also with puppets and object theater, where characters are animated right before the eyes of the audience. Movement becomes a language, and gestures draw from the poetics of silent film. This exceptional performance won the 2015 SACD des Arts du Cirque award and has been performed more than 700 times across France and Europe. It was also played at Letní Letná in 2018.

Décrochez-moi-ça: A new chapter, a new team

For the staging of Décrochez-moi-ça, the team has expanded with new collaborators. Firstly, Simon Rosant, a builder and technical director. He gained experience as an organizer of Bals montés, a technician at prestigious festivals such as Nuits de Fourvière, and in circus ensembles like Cirque Aïtal. He masters working with metal, wood, electricity, and mechanics, and in the show, he ensures technical direction and manipulation of mechanical objects on stage.

Then Bastien Pelenc and Thomas Barrière, a musical duo with over 20 years of collaboration in the fields of cine-concerts, documentary theatre, street theatre, dance, and film music. They seek the perfect connection between physical virtuosity, sound polyphony, and the harmony of movement and tone. For Décrochez-moi-ça, they have created music that they perform live alternately.

With this staging, the Bêtes de Foire ensemble continues its journey with a poetic
menagerie, deepens its research into the perception of time and creative processes, and returns to the central circular stage – the very heart of the circus.

ON SCENE: Laurent Cabrol, Elsa De Witte, Simon Rosant and Thomas Barrière, alternating with Bastien Pelenc

SCENOGRAPHY/COSTUMES/RECORESIGNS: Laurent Cabrol, Elsa De Witte and Simon Rosant, in collaboration with Solenne Capmas (costumes), Luna Berardino (tailoring assistance), Steffi Bayer (masks) and Lucas Lefêvre (metal elements).

MUSIC: Thomas Barrière and Bastien Pelenc

STRUCTURE DESIGN: Laurent Desflèches and Chantal Viannay, with the help of Silvain Ohlo and Eric Noel

SOUND DESIGN: Francis Lopez

LIGHTING: Tom Bourreau

PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION: Association Z'Alégria / Bêtes de Foire

ADMINISTRATION: Les Thérèses

Acknowledgements: Patrick de Groote, Sidonie Pigeon, Stephan Bonutto, Benjamin Trichat, Sophie Besset, Guilhem Dumont, Julien Roure, Kévin Duplan, Sebastien Petit, Dominique Delorme, Fourmi, Claudio Stellato, Jeanne Maigne, Yohan Jaunaud, Marion Sorgius, Vincent Muteau, Bertrand Lenclos, Méryl Fortunat-Rossi, three wonderful women from the office - Hélène Vignal, Pierrette Loye, Véronique Liébert-Boisson - and our families.