12-15 Apr 2023
Francois Chaignaud Akaji Maro
GOLD SHOWER
© Laurent Philippe
© Laurent Philippe
Associate Artist
The meeting of two artists with whimsical, baroque and refined universes, who explore unusual spaces and the creatures that inhabit them.
Akaji Maro, Japanese, soon turning 80, legendary pioneer of butoh. And François Chaignaud, French, not yet 40, the enfant terrible of contemporary dance. From different generations and cultures, these two indomitable stage beasts nevertheless share deep affinities, in particular a taste for transvestism and a sense of surpassing oneself. Conceived as a cross portrait, GOLD SHOWER brings them together for a duet that defies all categories. Intimately linked (sometimes literally), more or less clothed, bodies and faces (re)modelled relentlessly, they move from one posture and emotion to another, competing in extravagance - each in their own special way. Over the course of eight wildly inventive tableaux, an exhilarating erotic-burlesque ritual is performed, shrouded in an insidious perfume of subversion.
Jérôme Provençal
Design François Chaignaud and Akaji Maro
Costumes Romain Brau, Cédrick Debeuf, Kyoko Domoto
Omote (Japanese theatre mask) Seitaro Ozu
Lighting design Abigail Fowler
Set design François Chaignaud, Abigail Fowler, Akaji Maro
Sound supervision Caroline Mas
Japanese performer Mohamed Ghanem
Assistant (to Akaji Maro) Naomi Muku (Dairakudakan)
Artistic collaborator (to François Chaignaud) Baudouin Woehl
With François Chaignaud, Akaji Maro
Production Mandorle Productions
Coproduction Pôle européen de création, ministère de la Culture / Maison de la danse, en soutien à la Biennale de la danse de Lyon 2020 / Maison de la musique de Nanterre, scène conventionnée / Bonlieu, scène nationale, Annecy / Charleroi Danse, centre chorégraphique de Wallonie, Bruxelles / Chaillot – Théâtre national de la Danse, Paris / Le Quartz, scène nationale, Brest / Teatro Municipal do Porto / Manège, scène nationale, Reims / Setagaya Public Theatre, Tokyo / The Japan Foundation / Festival d’automne à Paris / Conseil régional Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Soutien Regard du Cygne, Paris / La Villette, Paris / Nanterre-Amandiers, centre dramatique national
Avec la participation artistique du Jeune Théâtre national
Mandorle productions is subsidised by ministère de la Culture (DRAC d’Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes).
François Chaignaud is also associate artist at Bonlieu, scène nationale, Annecy.