This director from Lagny takes up the fables of La Fontaine in an original version

In view of the next Avignon festival, the actors of the “Second Star on the Left” troupe remained in residence at the Charles Vanel theater in Lagny-sur-Marne (Seine-et-Marne) until Friday April 12. Their virtuosity will amaze future spectators of the play. » What about your fables? Go! “.

For a whole week, the Charles Vanel theater welcomed “Second Star on the Left”, the merry band of Latina director Nicolas Masson, in anticipation of their next appearance at the Avignon festival. Many adjustments were necessary before this important deadline for the troop.

The first challenge was trying on the new costumes. The five actors perform the performance of playing thirty characters, therefore donning thirty different costumes. The pace is frantic, everything is timed to the nearest second. The speed of costume changes and the coordination of the actors is one of the keys to the success of the show, a real watchmaker’s work!

In residence in Lagny before Avignon

For a week, every detail was worked on in an immersive atmosphere. The lighting adjustments, given the importance of the play of light and the use of Chinese shadows, required long hours of development.

However, on stage, the performance is scheduled to last only one hour and ten minutes. Nicolas Masson, the director, explains the importance of this week: “The residency is a pivotal moment in the construction of a play and we thank the municipality for making this magnificent place available to us. Ten people made themselves fully available for six days for the progress of the project. The residency for a troupe is a real opportunity to discuss artistic and human difficulties. We cannot believe how palpable the energy of these moments was! “.

The residency also allows you to come out with communication supports: photos, declarations, recordings, and… press articles, says the director.

From Jean de La Fontaine to Tex Avery

The show revisits ten fables with contemporary and humorous writing. The texts of Nicolas Masson transpose the universe of Jean de La Fontaine into the current affairs of our societies with rhythm, color and a touch of madness. The Epinal image of the fable is transformed into a Tex Avery cartoon. The resources of theater are used intelligently to unleash the imagination of young and old. Manon Bernard, one of the actresses in the troupe, is impatient to go on stage: “I joined Nicolas’ troupe two years ago. We had fun working together and now I can’t wait until June 29 to start performances at the Avignon festival.”

The play is a true artistic tour de force where each actor contributes to the whole in a harmonious and united manner. Nicolas Masson is aware of the challenge that Avignon represents: “The festival is a springboard. All the professionals will be gathered. We must do our best to find programmers who will trust us and give us visibility for the future.” Shortly before the big departure for Avignon, the members of the troupe will meet for a final six-day residency, from June 14, within the walls of the Saint Laurent college, with, at the end, several performances in front of an audience.

“Second star on the left” in performance at the Archipel Théâtre, 25, rue Rem de l’Oulle, 84000 Avignon from June 29 to July 21.

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