They like to insist on the circumflex accent. “Here we do theater”, pronounces loud and clear Coline Achilli, co-president of the Théâtre du Bocage association and director, sitting in the small performance hall of the Maison des Arts in Bressuire. This same room which will host the 7e edition of the “Théââââââtre (entre)ouvert” festival, from Friday May 24 to Saturday June 29, 2024.
“Bring theater out of this dusty old image”
This caricatured way of pronouncing the word “theater” says everything about this association which, through this event, wishes to break down barriers. “We want to succeed in ensuring that theater moves away from this dusty old image. This is why we really want the public to come and confront contemporary authors, with offbeat, crazy productions, to show them that all of this is very far from being dusty”explains Bruno Auger, co-director, professional actor and director for the Théâtre du Bocage.
According to him, the image is evolving little by little. ” It going. As proof, I can cite the attendance at our workshops and the festival. » Last year, more than 1,300 entries were recorded during the festival in a room that can accommodate up to 45 people per show. The waiting list of actors from the association wishing to participate in the festival continues to grow.
“Dramatizing dramatic art”, this year again this will be the challenge for the selected amateur actors. In total, nine troupes, including seven belonging to the association, will perform around thirty performances.
Children and adults
Audrey Lebrun, co-president of the association and director of the Scrogneugneu troupe (4-6 years old) accompanies five children on a collective creation called Toupikan. “For the youngest, there is no learning of text. We worked around emotions. The objective is first of all to get them on stage and to have fun showing what they do. »
Audrey Lebrun leads the Scrogneugneu troupe.
© (Photo Bruno Auger)
Coline Achilli, at the head of the Relous troupe (13-17 years old), works on a mise en abyme with eleven teenagers around the piece by Fabrice Melquiot The cabinet of curiosities. “It’s about the stage fright before going on stage. The actors start talking about stomach aches. And one of them tells the story he tells himself to overcome this stress…” Then embark into the heads of the actors, between invisible creatures and imaginary characters. “It’s quite a story!” »
Two other pieces should please the public, like the Z’habitantsa text by Catherine Zambon performed by a group of adults from the Théâtre du Bocage. “Catherine Zambon’s approach was to invite herself to people’s homes in their absence and to spend a day with them. It was from the notes taken that she invented five stories”says Manuel Bouchard, director and general manager of the festival.
Bruno Auger and his actors decided to move towards writing thanks to the participation of an eminent ex-member of the Théâtre du Bocage, Patrick Dupé. “We decided to finally bring the truth about Iphigénie. We had a few jokes told by Euripides or Racine but they didn’t tell us everything…” The vast subject of feminism is addressed in this show “slightly offbeat and yet very serious”.
Théâââââââtre (entre) open, from May 24 to June 29, 2024, at the Maison des arts de Bressuire, at 1, boulevard Jacques-Nérisson. Reservations required. Information: 06.27.07.69.33; [email protected]
Prices: €8, €5 for members of the association. Free for children under 12. Refreshment bar on site.
