FABLES | LES ACROBATES + T(E)R:::R/IE:::R

Since 2017, Compagnie Arnica has been interested in fables and their transposition into puppetry. It then launched a project to create and commission the writing of fables dedicated to questioning human and animal relationships with their environment in the broadest sense. The result is three small puppet forms imagined as ecosystems: The Lamb lied, The Acrobats and /T(e)r:::r/ie:::r. These three shows are part of the emergence of the a new non-anthropocentric imaginary "This is the kind of show that brings humans and non-humans together in a modern-day theater.

Two of them are presented in the Micro Giboulées :

THE ACROBATES
Off the Indian Ocean, beneath the surface of the sea, lives a little-known tribe of sperm whales. Forced into a life of apnea, these large aquatic mammals are forced to adapt to their environment. Social animals, they have their own language, a particular appetite for cuddling and a great strength of attachment and mutual aid when it comes to looking after their young. Plume is one of these youngest, mischievous and boisterous. His great pleasure? Playing hide-and-seek, dreaming of adventures and thinking he's a gigantic monster. All around him, the females are busy - Corail, his mom, Rafale, his nanny and Ondine, his grandmother at heart. Between the hunt for giant squid, possible killer whale attacks, the absence of gills and old traumas, the mood isn't always festive. So when a diver shows up and Plume lets his curiosity get the better of him, the whole tribe panics. Will they be able to get along? Under the amused gaze of the Remora, who comment on the encounter like an ancient chorus, the sperm whale's way of being in the world is revealed, as are new forms of inter-connection and reciprocity, disregarding the memory of the elders and all human reference points. Directed by Emilie Flacher and written by Julie Aminthe, this fable was inspired by the exchanges and immersive scientific studies of oceanographer François Sarano.

/T(E)R:::R/IE:::R
At the foot of a beech tree, a water shrew, a barn owl and a badger take refuge in the latter's burrow. Brought together by chance, they feel and get along without seeing each other, until the world above seals the entrance to the den, forcing them to live together. The three of them must then come to terms with each other's perception of the world. An alliance is needed to protect the owl's eggs and welcome the birth of a new kind of living creature, which, strangely enough, will resemble them. An actress-puppeteer dressed as a badger tells a story of diplomacy and hybridity from the heart of the burrow. Directed by Emilie Flacher and written by Gwendoline Soublin, this fable is inspired by the work of philosopher Baptiste Morizot. The company set out to track the presence of the savage in the nearby countryside. These sensitive experiences led to the decision to highlight animals that are "close" and "common", but little-known and on the verge of extinction. Hiding from humans, their main predators, they sometimes fight for survival to the point of forming an alliance and reinventing themselves.

Created in 1998, Arnica company is headed by Emilie Flachera director and puppet builder. Bringing together actors, constructors and musicians, and working with living authors, the company has created some twenty shows. The company conducts research into contemporary writing and puppet theater. From 2023 onwards, Emilie Flacher will be a member of the TJP artists' committee.

Playwright and dramaturge, trained in the playwriting department of the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts et Techniques du Théâtre after studying philosophy, Julie Aminthe is the second fable in the triptych, The Acrobatsand the text of the latest creation by the Arnica company: Our valley.

The third fable was written by Gwendoline Soublin. Trained at ENSATT in playwriting, she invents playful protocols and graphic texts for adults, young people and puppets. Her multi-faceted language lends itself to both human and non-human characters.

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