Collectif AÏE AÏE AÏE (France)

An anticipation piece without words, Ersatz probes virtual reality through the misuse of objects. Between an amusing performance and a disturbing farce, Julien Mellano invites the spectators into a funny and mysterious treasure hunt, where language is articulated through devious bricolage and DIY special effects.

Far from a well-ordered discourse on the future, Ersatz travels through a troubled world where the future is already present. The absurd and the miraculous meet and weave in a black hole to reach the vanishing point of our humanity, whether it is real, virtual or augmented.

Like a poem or a frog, Ersatz cannot be dissected because isolated elements will not tell us anything about what is intertwined.

Ersatz questions the future of man with simple materials, improvised with ingenuity and humor, offering us a little gem of object theatre, because the future is now, but it is not real.

^{“A fascinating experience.” - Le Monde}

^{"An ironic humour, diabolically irresistible." - Télérama}

^{"A strange piece; a brilliant and daring gem." - Montheatre.qc.ca}

BIO

Stage director and performer Julien Mellano creates shows where conventions are toppled and narratives are cleverly scrambled. His object and sound manipulation experiments, character actor skills and careful attention to creating images give rise to theatrical forms that cut across disciplines, but that can be characterized by attention to detail, the bizarre and the presence of monsters. In 2002, the short, table top solo piece Mon Œil, presented by FIMFA Lx4, marked the beginning of his stage directing his own projects. Other productions followed: first there was Hippotheatron, based on the movie Freaks by Todd Browning, followed by a solo version of Rabelais’ Gargantua. At the same time, he also worked with Denis Athimon (Bob Théâtre) on the adaptation, staging and performance of Nosferatu, Demiurge and Bartleby. He co-wrote Beastie Queen and Ma Biche et Mon Lapin with Charlotte Blin. He is also regularly called upon as a scenographer and outside eye for various dance, storytelling, theatre and music projects.
AÏE AÏE AÏE is an artistic collective that functions as a meeting point for the production and distribution of unique shows that share the same curiosity for different creative forms (theatre, visual arts, music, etc.) as well as a taste for images and objects. AÏE AÏE AÏE  has staged more than 15 shows to great applause at international venues and festivals.

CREDITS

_{Concept and performer: Julien Mellano Outside eye: Étienne Manceau Lighting design: Sébastien Thomas Sound device: Gildas Gaboriau Music: Olivier Mellano, Mauricio Kagel Technical direction: Gildas Gaboriau Potography: Laurent Guizard, Grimmm Production: Collectif AÏE AÏE AÏE Coproduction: Festival 11, Biennale de la Marionnette et des Formes Manipulées; Scène Nationale Sud Aquitain Support: Ministère de la Culture - DRAC de Bretagne, Conseil Régional de Bretagne, Conseil Départemental d’Ille-et-Vilaine de Rennes Métropole e da Ville de Rennes Artistic residencies: Au bout du Plongeoir - Site d’expérimentation artistique de Tizé, Le Volume - Centre culturel de Vern-sur-Seiche, Le Pôle Sud - Centre Culturel de Chartres de Bretagne, Théâtre de Laval - Scène Conventionnée, Théâtre La Paillette – Rennes, Théâtre Quintaou - Anglet Acknowledgements: Le Mouffetard - Théâtre des Arts de la Marionnette}