Les Goulus (France)
THE HORSEMEN
9 May at 6.30pm and 8.30pm (Thu)
10 May at 15.30pm and 7pm (Fri)
11 May at 4.30pm and 7pm (Sat)
Special opening FIMFA Lx24
Portuguese Premiere
⇨ Free ticket: Lisbon residents with proof of residency (one admission per day) To know more
Technique: Mixed Language: Without words Público-alvo: Family-friendly +4 Runs: 30 min.
Three very pompous and famous equestrian riders, chosen to represent France at the forthcoming Olympic Games, arrive on their spirited mounts for a demonstration of equestrian dressage. Even if, sometimes, they are a bit ridiculous, they always keep “The French Attitude”, despite a few misfires…
The Horsemen represent a caricatured image of French people seen by the “Others”: arrogant, self-assured, almost unpleasant. To the public, the three characters ask if, by their strange attitude, by their look, they can represent the French people for a next competition.
A show which mixes performance, comic and visual, full of humour and irony. The result is irresistible and a great moment of burlesque delirium that owes much to the infallible interpretation of the unique riders, and which has been a success all over the world.
"People generally think we're making fun of the English, but we mainly talk about the French, with humour that resembles that of Monthy Python," says one of the actors, revealing that horses, asf puppets, are frequent characters in the company. Everyone laughs, even in the equestrian world. The riders have already performed at the Salon du Cheval in Paris or at the Seoul Hippodrome in South Korea, and all over the world (...). One thing is certain: the trio, riding in their 'costumes', had an absolutely successful gallop (...)." - L'Est Républicain
"Champions of the world of laughter, Les Goulus have been roaming the 'continental and back streets' with their imaginative and slightly absurd ramblings since 1994. In The Horsemen, the infernal trio (...), adopt an arrogant 'French attitude', riding noble thoroughbred horses, one of which has the strange name of Jakechiraque. These elite riders have just been chosen to represent France at the next Olympic Games. The demonstrations with squats and other acrobatics leave no room for doubt: Les Goulus are not far from winning Olympic gold." - Thierry Voisin, Télerama
BIO
With a Monty-Python-esque style of humour, Les Goulus define themselves as totally mad and anarchistic.
Jean-Luc Prévost founded Les Goulus in 2000 and was joined in 2003 by Laetitia Lafforgue. The company defends an interactive theatre with the audience and questions the traditional role of the actor by giving him the capacity to intervene anywhere in any place, through engaging contemporary writing. By choosing the street as their stage, they defend freedom of expression, thought, creation and movement in the public space, respecting the cultural rights and human dignity of each individual, helping to promote a society based on cultural equality, territorial and social equity, through artistic creations.
The company also enjoys recognition abroad allowing them to continuously evolve their shows through an interaction with varied audiences, in different languages, while always questioning, inventing and sometimes defending their relationship with public spaces.
The Horsemen was awarded the best show at the Marivan, Bochum, Kaiserslautern, Schwerte and Detmold festivals.
CREDITS
Concept: Jean-Luc Prévost Performers: Laetitia Lafforgue, Olivier Rimaud, Julien Blandino Photography: Antoine Bassaler
www.lesgoulus.com