Théâtre National de Bretagne
Direction Arthur Nauzyciel
Creation at TNB (2020)
On tour seasons 2021/22 and 2022/23
In 1981, the novelist Hervé Guibert published L’Image fantôme, a treatise on his relationship with photography that contains not a single image. In his own way, Albin de la Simone takes the baton with Films fantômes, a unique (and, frankly, exhaustive) performance-exhibition which lets audiences imagine films without ever watching them. Installed at the piano, the artist shares the stage with two actors and five musicians. Using music and spoken word, they give life to nine ‘phantom’ films. From American blockbusters to French auteur cinema by way of political thrillers in the style of Costa-Gavras, these spectral features reveal the varied interests of a lifelong cinephile. Existing in a realm of pure imagination, this performative and immersive work, is disturbing as it is hilarious.
Conceived by Albin de la Simone with the collaboration of Clémentine Deroudille and Perrine Villemur, this exhibition sees the phantom films attempt to materialise. In TNB’s different spaces, from the ground floor to the fourth, you will find traces of these fictitious films: costumes, posters, merchandise, reviews, even videos ranging from vox pops to a purported dubbing session. Nonetheless, Albin sticks to his promise: these films will never exist; the imagination has free reign.
An artist, composer and performer, Albin de la Simone is an associate artist at TNB. In December 2018, he collaborated with Valérie Mréjen to create Le Carnaval des animaux at TNB, based on the composition by Camille Saint-Saëns.
* CONCERT-SHOW (running time 1h15)
Design and Composition
ALBIN DE LA SIMONE
Sound
JEAN-CHRISTOPHE TABUY
Lighting
MANON PESQUET (TNB)
With
RAPHAËL CHASSIN, ALBIN DE LA SIMONE,
ANNE GOUVERNEUR, GILLES KNEUSÉ,
MAËVA LE BERRE, THOMAS NAÏM,
PASCAL PARISOT, MARIE PAYEN
* Exhibition
Design of Films fantômes
ALBIN DE LA SIMONE
Expository Comissioner
CLÉMENTINE DEROUDILLE
Exhibition designer
PERRINE VILLEMUR
Construction
LAURENT BODIN (TNB)
ALAIN NICOLAS (TNB)
Sound
CÉDRIC ALAÏS (TNB)
Costumes
MYRIAM RAULT (TNB)
With the friendly participation of
CHARLES BERBERIAN, LÉA DRUCKER,
CÉLINE GAUDIER, KARIN VIARD,
ANDRÉ WILMS and many others
Production : Théâtre National de Bretagne.
Thanks to Le CENTQUATRE-PARIS, Philharmonie de Paris.