Cie Focus & Cie Chaliwaté (Belgium)

Between dreamlike fiction and factual reality, Dimanche paints a witty and tender portrait of humanity surprised by the uncontrollable forces of nature. 

A family is about to spend their Sunday together, a family tradition. But the walls are shaking, strong winds and torrential rain rage outside and the storm has only just begun. Amidst this climatic chaos, the protagonists absurdly attempt to maintain a normal family life.

Dimanche observes the ingenuity and stubbornness of humans as they try to preserve their day-to-day habits, going to absurd extremes to keep up a sense of normalcy despite the chaos of an ecological collapse.

Meanwhile, three travelling wildlife reporters are doing their best to document the apocalypse. They film, with what little equipment they have, Earth's last living species: three wild animals on the brink of extinction. 

Like a ping-pong game, we follow two different points of view - the intimate one of a family unit and the more universal point of view of reporters - which show a community of people in total discrepancy; with their time and what is happening to them.

The visual and unique ambience of Dimanche recalls the imagery of Wes Anderson's or Bent Hamer's films, but also of Gregory Crewdson's photographs, in a daring scenography, full of surprises and humour. The companies Focus and Chaliwaté have come together to write and create a surprising and moving show about the climate crisis. Funny and tragic, just like our world. Absolutely not to be missed!

Prizes

-Two Prix Maeterlinck de la Critique 2020 - Best Show & Best Artistic and Technical Creation.

-In 2018, the companies Focus & Chaliwaté presented Backup at Edinburgh Festival Fringe, a smaller version of Dimanche, which received the Total Theater Award.

^{"By mixing puppetry, objects, physical theatre and video, Dimanche offers a series of visually very successful paintings about global warming and the disappearance of species (...). The particularly expressive acting of the three actors (...), the beauty of the puppets they manipulate (in particular, the duo formed by a gigantic mother polar bear and her baby, slowly separated by ice and drifting), the skilful combination of object theatre, gestural theatre (sometimes very close to mime), video, sound effects... all contribute to make this show a success, a jewel of inventiveness and creativity." - Cristina Marino, Le Monde}

^{"Gorgeous combination of mime, object theatre and video. Meticulous scenes and beautiful theatrical effects create a surreal, dreamlike world with eye for detail. Dimanche is a dystopian parable about the climate, yet a joy to behold - the small polar bear seems to move in an almost 'more real' way than in a nature documentary." - De Standaard ★★★★★}

^{"A marvel of object and puppet theatre to illustrate our inertia in the face of climate change." - Catherine Makereel, Le Soir ★★★★}

^{"Intelligence, talent, tenderness... we could go on, but in reality, there are no words to describe this extraordinary show (...).
And then the show surprises us with the richness of its discoveries, and even seeing the mechanisms that create the illusion, we are fascinated and taken by a rhythm and a whirlwind of diverse sensations. UNIQUE! To see and see one more time." - Palmina Di Meo, Demandez le programme ★★★★★}

^{"It's clever, funny and shakes both our consciousness and awakens our hearts. In short, it's wonderful and must be seen with urgency." - Éric Russon, Moustique ★★★★}

^{"Dimanche is a poignant, beautiful and funny performance featuring an outstanding cast. It’s captivating from start to finish." - The Advertiser}

BIO

The companies Focus and Chaliwaté have worked together to create Dimanche. Both companies have separately worked with puppetry and object theatre, admiring each other’s work. For a long time they have been following and appreciating each other’s work. It became clear that They had a similar approach to their art and it was obvious that they shared a common taste for unusual theatrical forms. As if they spoke the same visual, artisanal and poetic language.

Cie Focus - Julie Tenret studied and trained at INSAS (Brussels Drama Institute). She took part in Squattages poétiques by the Cie Gare centrale, and created Fragile with Isabelle Darras in 2009, a show with actors, objects and puppets, directed by Agnès Limbos. Fragile received an award for its sensitivity, its force and commitment at the Rencontres de Théâtre Jeune Public of Huy in 2009. The show has been performed 350 times. She founded together with Isabelle Darras, the Night Shop Théâtre Company in 2011, and created the show Silence in August 2013. Silence received the Prix de la Ministre de la jeunesse and the Coup de foudre de la presse at the Rencontres de Théâtre Jeune Public of Huy in 2013; it was presented at the Théâtre des Doms during the Avignon Festival in 2014 and was awarded the Prix de la Critique Jeune Public in 2015. To this day Silence has been presented around 350 times.

Cie Chaliwaté - The artistic work of the Cie Chaliwaté is nourished by many different manners of approaching the mime art to create physical and visual shows. Since they worked on their first show Joséphina in 2009, they have continued to expand and enrich their stage writing and creative process, constantly looking for new perspectives, taking part in workshops and collaborating with other artists from different theatrical genres. They create Îlo in 2011 and then collaborate with Loïc Faure (Jongloic Company) to create the show Jetlag. They work in association with the Focus Company (Julie Tenret) since 2017 with whom they create Backup (short form) and Dimanche (long form). Jeltag was nominated at the Prix de la Critique 2016 (Belgium) in the category Best Circus Show.

_CREDITS

_{Creation and direction: Julie Tenret, Sicaire Durieux, Sandrine Heyraud Performers: Julie Tenret, Sicaire Durieux, Sandrine Heyraud / Thomas Dechaufour, Shantala Pèpe, Christine Heyraud / Julie Dacquin, Sophie Leso Puppets: Waw! Studios / Joachim Jannin and Jean-Raymond Brassinne Puppets assistant creators: Emmanuel Chessa, Aurélie Deloche, Gaëlle Marras Scenography: Zoé Tenret Stage set construction: Zoe Tenret, Bruno Mortaignie (LS Diffusion), Sebastien Boucherit, Sebastien Munck Outside eye: Alana Osbourne Lighting design: Guillaume Toussaint Fromentin Sound design: Brice Cannavo Video, director of photography: Tristan Galand Costumes: Fanny Boizard Technical direction: Leonard Clarys Photography: Virginie Meigné, Alice Piemme Coproduction: Le Théâtre les Tanneurs, Le Théâtre de Namur, La Maison de la Culture de Tournai/Maison de la Création, Le Sablier - IFS (FR), Arts and Ideas New Haven (EUA), Adelaide Festival (AU), Auckland Arts Festival (NZ), Théâtre Victor Hugo de Bagneux, Scène des Arts du Geste / EPT Vallée Sud Grand Paris and La Coop ASBL Support: Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles – Service du Cirque, des Arts Forains et de la Rue et de la Loterie Nationale, Wallonie Bruxelles International (WBI), Bourse du CAPT, Commission Communautaire Française, Shelterprod, Taxshelter.be, Ing et du Tax-Shelter du gouvernement fédéral belge With the help by: Escale du Nord - Centre Culturel d’Anderlecht, Centre de la Marionnette de Tournai, LaRoseraie, Latitude50 - Pôle des Arts du Cirque et de la Rue, Espace Catastrophe, Centre Culturel Jacques Franck, Maison de la Culture Famenne-Ardennes, Centre Culturel d’Eupen, LaVénerie, Le Centre Culturel de Braine l’Alleud, Le Royal Festival de Spa, Le Théâtre Marni, L’Escaut, Bronks, AD LIB Diffusion, AD LIB Production, Résidences au Libitum, LookIN’out, Festival XS}

_{www.focuscie.be | www.chaliwate.com}