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Théâtre National Wallonie-Bruxelles

Sylvia

Fabrice Murgia, Cie Artara - An Pierlé Quartet

05 > 09.11.2019
Musical show – Theatre

Leading figure of a feminism which is more poetic than engaged, Sylvia Plath fought all her life between her desire to fulfill the injunctions of the American dream of the 50’s and 60’s (perfect wife and mother) and her irrepressible need to write. It was a deep contradiction that led to her death. From this complex life she produced a novel; The Bell Jar, which was published in 1963.

To reflect on this female voice, Fabrice Murgia has conceived a whirling piece which shows us the many layers and the interior conflicts of the American poet. On stage, nine actors play Sylvia at different key moments in her life. A depressive young woman making her first suicide attempt at 20. A young woman drunk on the power of words. An author victim of male domination.

The originality of this show is its melding of theatre and film. Throughout the performance the spectator watches in real time the creation of a film projected on a big screen. The camera work created with virtuosity by Juliette Van Dormael highlights the tearing apart of the artist, films with close-ups of the actors’ faces the emotions of the character, and follows the movements of the different Sylvias from the beginning to the end. A sensitive portrait enriched by the sublime melancholy of the musical compositions of Belgian author/composer An Pierlé.

Vers la page du spectacle actuel

Calendar

  • - 20:15

    Introduction - 19:45

  • - 19:30
  • - 20:15
  • - 20:15
  • - 20:15

Information

Language

fr, en, nl, surtitles fr, nl

Venue

Grande Salle

Duration

100’

Surrounding the show

Introduction 05.11.2019 – 19:45 (15')

Cast

Premiere
25.09.2018 - Théâtre National Wallonie-Bruxelles

 

Director
Fabrice Murgia

Voice and piano 
An Pierlé

Bass clarinet, saxophone, guitar and percussion
Koen Gisen

Keyboards and computers 
Hendrik Lasure

Percussion
Casper Van de Velde

Cinematographer
Juliette Van Dormael

Assistant camera
Takeiki Flon

Assistant director
Justine Lequette

Assistant director intern
Shana Lellouch

Video and lighting creation and Artara technical direction 
Giacinto Caponio

Assistant for video creation and technical management
Dimitri Petrovic

Costumes
Marie-Hélène Balau

Set design
Rudy Sabounghi

Assistant set design
Julien Soulier

Decorator
Aurélie Borremans

Assistant decorator 
Valérie Perin

Decorator intern
Léa Pelletier
Sophie Hazebrouck

Research and dramaturgy assistance
Cécile Michel

With
Valérie Bauchau
Clara Bonnet
Solène Cizeron
Vanessa Compagnucci
Vinora Epp
Léone François
Magali Pinglaut
Ariane Rousseau
Scarlet Tummers

Technical manager
Hugues Girard
Cédric Otte (TN)

Assistant tour
Maxime Glaude

Lighting director
Emily Brassier

Sound design
Bob Hermans

Stage management
Aurélie Perret
Baptiste Wattier
Pierre Ottinger (TN)
Dimitri Wauters (TN)

Camera
Aurelie Leporcq

With the participation of
Alfredo Cañavate

 

Création Studio Théâtre National Wallonie-Bruxelles

 

Production
Cie Artara

Sets construction and costumes
Ateliers du Théâtre National Wallonie-Bruxelles

Co-production
Théâtre National Wallonie-Bruxelles, Théâtre de Namur, Central – La Louvière, Mars – Mons Arts de la Scène, la Fondation Mons2025 – Biennale 2018-2019, Printemps des Comédiens – Montpellier, Comédie de Saint-Etienne – Centre Dramatique National, Théâtre Jean-Vilar de Vitry-sur-Scène, le Carreau – Scène Nationale de Forbach et de l’Est mosellan, Théâtres en Dracénie – Draguignan, Coop asbl et Shelter Prod.

With the support of
taxshelter.be, ING et du tax-shelter du gouvernement fédéral belge, avec le soutien du DIESE # Auvergne – Rhône-Alpes, dispositif d’insertion de L’École de La Comédie de Saint-Étienne

©Hubert Amiel
Le Rideau de saison, Maak & Transmettre · photo : Lucile Dizier, 2024