SHSH

RÉFLEXIONS SUR LA TABLE VERTE

Choreographer Olga de Soto has been researching for a long time to create a sensitive, documentary based performance, which is dedicated to the history of  Green Table (1933) by Kurt Jooss.

The original Green Table performance had a strong message against war and human side of egoistic tragedy in war time which was choreographed in modern dance movements. Since then, many dance companies made repertory of this performance, hence choreographer de Soto´s interest in this particular performance. She made footages of the history of the performance of Green Table by interviewing original dancers and spectators from that time. The choreographer shows the spectator her almost two years research through fragments of these short documentaries together with six dancers on the stage to send the same message to the spectator of the 21st Century.

My scenography approach is to make the most discreet black space through a composition of three different sizes of black screens. These screens are moved horizontally, vertically, rest as tables and swing.The screen movements follow the contexts of testimonies on the stage. The dancers move the screens with pulley functions of the theatre.There are also small size screens which pick the projection image more fragmentarily.
The visual aspect of the stage gives an impression of the memory space: some of the images are coming closer to you, going far away, shine like old time. The total black space is more respectful to the manner of the original scenography of the Green Table, which consisted of a black box and a table. The black space with the screens also shows the delicacy of the comments more clearly to spectators.

Choreography : Olga de Soto

Video : Olga de Soto

Lighting design :   Philippe Gladieux

Scenography : Shizuka Hariu

Costume design : Dorothée Catry

Sound design : Mathieu Farnarier

Co-production : Les Halles, Joint Adventures/ Tanzwerkstatt Europa, Le Festival d’Automne Paris, Les Spectacles Vivants - Centre Pompidou, Centre Chorégraphique National de Montpellier.