BABYLON
Babylon. The birth place of civilization. From Babylon came architecture, science, art, and the written word. From there came languages. From there came war. Babylon rose and fell, leaving behind but a few traces of a glorious empire. Renowned for its suspended gardens, which were considered one of the seven wonders of the world, it is now almost completely engulfed by the desert sand.
We are Babylon. That is the premise of Pigeons International’s recent production which opened on January 30th 2004, in Montreal, at Usine C.
Our planet is but a suspended garden, a miracle of organic intelligence, on the verge of total destruction. Of all living creatures that have roamed the Earth, man is the single species to have almost completely annihilated it. What have we to learn from the story of Babylon? Is it possible to learn from the past, or is it our fate to spin until the end of time in this whirlwind of life and destruction. Is this duality the essence of humanity? As in all Pigeon’s productions, several fragmented stories, several unique characters are woven into a general landscape. A gardener tends to his garden. A woman searches for her child. A diplomat gets caught in a civil war.
As usual, Pigeons has reunited a unique ensemble of exceptional actors and dancers, all of different ethnical horizons. For the first time, live musicians perform on stage, their original music intricately woven into the fabric of the piece. In all, thirteen artists move in and out of this singular work about the fragile equilibrium between life and death. Directed and choreographed by Paula de Vasconcelos, the production is masterfully lit by one of Quebec’s most respected lighting designers, Michel Beaulieu.
BABYLON is a contemporary reflection on the state of our world, it oscillates between dance and theatre, and is difficult to categorize into one single definition. In this way it truly resembles the company’s long standing desire to break the boundaries between dance and theatre, all the while creating new work that opens its doors to artists of various disciplines and ethnical backgrounds.
| Directed and choreographed by | Paula de Vasconcelos |
| Set design | Paula de Vasconcelos Stéphane Longpré |
| Lighting | Michel Beaulieu |
| Original score | Sam Shalabi Mitchell Akiyama |
| Costume design | Paula de Vasconcelos Anne-Marie Veevaete |
| Performers | Milene Azze Monica Gan Emmanuel Jouthe or Bernard Martin Igor Ovadis Marcel Pomerlo Paul-Antoine Taillefer Anita Sharma Élise Vanderborght or Jeannie Vandekerkhove Mathilde Monnard or Audrey Van Herck Camille de Vasconcelos-Taillefer |
| Live musicians | Sam Shalabi, oud Guillaume Eizlini, tabla Geneviève Heistek, alto |
| Production manager | Paul-Antoine Taillefer |
| Technical director | Benoît Jolicoeur |
Le langage chorégraphique de la créatrice s'est encore affiné, affirmant toujours plus sa singularité en devenant plus diversifié, plus éclaté. Rarement Paula de Vasconcelos aura su fondre la forme et le fond de son propos de manière aussi juste et assumée. Encore.»
Pierre Thibeault, Ici
«Sur scène, de l'eau, de la terre, du feu et des danseurs qui font corps avec l'air (…). Ressortent pourtant de ce tableau non seulement l'implacable beauté de la vie mais encore une grande tendresse envers ces si imparfaites créatures que sont les êtres humains. (…) Il s'agit donc d'une histoire à suivre, telle que l'est celle, inquiétante mais passionnante, de l'humanité.»
Sophie Pouliot, Le Devoir
«À l'image des jardins suspendus qui ont inspiré BABYLONE, les trop rares cérémonies orchestrées par Paula de Vasconcelos font de la scène un stupéfiant microcosme de notre monde". Amalgame chatoyant de danse et de théâtre, de bruit et de silence, de souffrance et d'allégresse, sa onzième création ne fait pas exception à la tradition. Les dix protagonistes polyglottes de cette fresque offrent des instants d'une grande beauté. (…) la créatrice s'autorise des envolées souveraines où l'aspect chorégraphique acquiert une autonomie peu commune. Sa gestuelle s'affirme, se précise, se charge d'émotions toujours plus salvatrices ou insoutenables.»
Christian Saint-Pierre, Voir
