The Pouliguen artistic group (Gap) was created in 1974 by a few theater enthusiasts: Jean-Claude Guillaume, Robert and Dany Astre, Bernard Gascoin, Paul and Thérèse Heuillet, with Michel Huchet as first president. “To get started, we called on Marguerite and Edgar Creteur, retired actors, who had hosted the Guignol for many years in the Bois du Pouliguen and on the courtyards in Nantes,” remembers Jean-Claude Guillaume, the current president of Gap.
He still tells « the first performances, given at the beginning of 1975, with three one-act plays (The marriage proposal, de Tchekhov, The cup of tea et The fear of blows, by Courteline). We only did two performances on Saturday and Sunday afternoon.”
95 plays played
In fifty years, the troupe has performed around 95 plays, the president calculates, “including some classics, like The universal legateeby Jean-François Regnard, in 1989, Marianne’s whimsby Musset, in 1991, which we also played in the open air, in front of the town hall”.
Not content with playing at Pouliguen, amateur actors also give numerous performances outside, almost everywhere in the department, from La Turballe to Couëron, via Donges or Saint-Nicolas-de-Redon. They also perform for associations, such as the inter-age college of La Baule, with a show on Musset, for the Saint-Jean-Baptiste college of Guérande, around Marivaux and Molière.
Creations presented
Over time, the group also presents creations, “since we are lucky enough to have an author in the troupe, Patrick Stephan, who has written seven,” recalls Jean-Claude Guillaume. The eighth, Right or wrongwill be performed from November 16 to 30, at the Pax cinema.
Because the number of annual performances multiplied. “We manage to fill the room six times for each show, and we do two a year,” welcomes the president.
Decor side, yes “everyone gave a helping hand at the beginning”, the Gap now has dedicated teams. Serge Guiot, a former television decorator at the time of Maritie and Gilbert Carpentier, created them for several years. Now, Monique Jagoury leads the team. “The technique has also evolved with the arrival of Jean-Pierre Caquelard, Hubert Labarre and Salomée Lehuede,” completes Jean-Claude Guillaume. The troupe thus continues its trajectory, to the greatest pleasure of the spectators.
Right or wrong, Saturday 16, Tuesday 19, Saturday 23, Tuesday 26, Saturday November 30, at 9 p.m. Sunday November 17, at 3 p.m., at the Pax cinema, 5, rue du Maréchal-Joffre, in Pouliguen. Prices: €10 adults, €4 children. Reservations open at the tourist office, tel. 02 40 24 34 44.
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