Les molières
"2016 winner of France’s most prestigious theatre award, “ le Molière”, for best play"
Molières 2016 : la magie de Joseph Kessel et des "Cavaliers"
l y a quelque chose d’incroyablement poétique et musical dans Les Cavaliers.
Sur scène, un grand tapis ocre. Un coussin brodé d’or. Un rideau sur lequel se projettent en ombre chinoise les rêves érotiques. « J’ai cherché à mettre mes pas dans les pas de Joseph Kessel. Un voyage dans les mots et la sensibilité de ce globe-trotteur que je ne connais pas », explique Éric Bouvron. Il faut le voir passer d’un personnage à l’autre comme s’il changeait de masque. Ses traits se métamorphosent sans cesse. Khalid K. se tient micro et petite console noire à la main. Il loope sa voix et joue aux bruiteurs de cinéma. Les Cavaliers a déjà triomphé ces deux dernières années au off du Festival d’Avignon. Envoûtant !
Olivier Ubertalli.
24 mai 2016
Les «Cavaliers» de Kessel, comme un jeu d'enfant
Eric Bouvron pratique un théâtre pauvre. Il ne nous fait pas le coup de la reconstitution avec grands décors et vidéos. Il sait que le récit peut envoûter et que de la parole même surgissent les images.
On entend le vent et le galop infernal de chevaux. On entend les voix mélodieuses des sources transparentes. On prend du sable dans les yeux, on a peur, on s’exalte. Avant de se lancer dans l’aventure de la transposition et de la naissance théâtrale de ce livre-fleuve, Eric Bouvron est allé en Ouzbékistan. Il voulait remonter le temps. Il exalte l’universel par la simplicité.
Armelle Héliot.
29 fevrier 2016
Les Cavaliers
Cette adaptation signée Eric Bouvron des Cavaliers, est une merveille. Le vertige des steppes, le vae victis qui frappe les perdants de la course suprême – le bouzkachi du Roi -, la cruauté des rapports entre les seigneurs et les serfs, entre les pères et les fils...
Ici, l’Afghanistan d’avant les communistes et les talibans sonne et étincelle comme un fer à cheval frappant la roche. À ne pas manquer !
C.B.
17-23 fevrier 2016
Partners
Co-produced by Atelier Theatre Actuel and Passionnes du Reve
Photos courttesy of Didier Pallages
Presentation
Young and proud Ouroz participates in the most important competition of Afghanistan, the king’s Bouzkachi. It is a strong and violent sport where the combatants don’t hold back.
However, Ouroz fails, falls from his horse and breaks his leg. He now needs to come back to his family home far away in the countryside to face his dad, the Great Toursène, who once was the champion of this fierce game and kept the pride and honour of a family that always succeeded great challenges.
Thus starts Ouroz’s initiatory and perilous journey. He is accompanied by his faithful servant Mokkhi and his magnificent horse. They encounter incredible and amazing people and pass through harsh, remote landscapes.
Eric Bouvron, fascinated by this masterpiece set in the Afghan steppes written by Joesph Kessel, wanted to adapt it as a play. This writer, who was always hungry for knowledge and adventure, lived his life passionately and fully. His charm, his humour and his extraordinary adventures made him an exceptional writer.
Intention
On returning from Greenland (see Eric's "Tea with a Polar Bear"), a friend asked me "Now that you have been to the South and to the North, where next?" I replied that I wanted to go to a place where people hesitate to go to: Afghanistan!
And he gave me the book "The Horsemen"!
I wanted to tell this extraordinary and universal story on stage; to highlight an era which spoke of values that we seek today in our daily lives. To adapt, to play and bring this book alive!
A story of man....of his weaknesses - strong spirits are built on faults... honour, dignity and pride. I tried to put myself in Joseph Kessel's shoes: I was taken on a journey through words and learned the sensitivity of this globetrotter.
For all my creations, I like to travel far and wide and discover people and cultures. And I travel with artists who provoke and inspire me. Meet each other. Discover others and self. Surprise ourselves.
Before starting the adaptation, I needed to see for myself the place where the story took place. To fill myself with it. To Smell. To feel. To taste. To hear. The costumes were inspired by what I saw. It was in Uzbekistan that i found the atmosphere that was closest to the setting of Joseph Kessel's book, whose action took place in 1957.
« Through The Horsemen I wrote my life testament» confided Kessel one day to a friend.
Eric Bouvron, director
Medias
