POLI DEGAINE

Insolent, libertarian, crazy and glove manipulation
All audiences. Unsuitable for children under 6
Runtime: 55 minutes

Two puppeteers on the run are bringing with them a massive weapon ofhilarity: they draw Polichinelle, the most famous puppet in the world and, with unbridled enthusiasm, get ready to perform a show of which exceptional qualities they have proclaimed. But, as planned, nothing goes as planned.Welcome to the hilarious frenzy of a new version of Polichinelle where he appears in his most wild outburst, in an explosive rhythm, provoking roars of laughter that strike indiscriminately kids as much as adults. Because Polichinelle laughs at everything.Death included.

This show is played in French, but in other countries we mix English and French, with furthermore a few translations in the mother language of the country we are playing in. It is very easy to understand as the scenes are essentially visual and the puppet language is universal.

1 Price « For Expressing Life with a Puppet » at the 11th International Festival of Puppet Theatre, Warsaw, POLAND, 2016
Price DRAC d’Or du «mejor espectaculo» at the Fira de Titelles de Lleida, SPAINE, 2012

POLICHINELLE : 400 Years of scrap

The «Pulcinella» character has deep roots in puppet history. Known as «Polichinelle» in French and «Pulcinella» in Italian, the character originated in Italy’s Commedia dell’arte of the 18th century and became a stock character in Neapolitan puppetry. Pulcinella is an accomplished party animal, and the party, with its jubilation and collective kick up your heels moments, seems to bear, in Naples or elswhere, the existence and History hazards. Bursting out laughing from the bottom of the Vesuvius in order to exorcize the volcano’s threat sums up the soul of Naples. And its most famous heroe is about to embody its contradictions: both naive and tricky, obscene and romantic, fearful and brave, rascal and philosopher, the Neapolitan runt has all the typical and contradictory qualities of his nation.From the 18th century until today, spreading his explosive humour like wildfire, Pulcinella was going to enjoy great success, and even going beyond his fatherland. Indeed, on the back of much less famous pupeteers, he travelled around Europe, giving his strange nickname whenever he went through a border. He managed to adapt to each cultural specificity whithout loosing his peculiar «philosophy». They use to call him « Polichinelle » in France, « Punch » in England, « Petrouchka » in Russia, « Kasperl » in Germany, « Don Cristobal » in Spain; and even « Mamulengo » in Brazil and « Karagöz » in Turkey, a greek cousin of « Karaghiosis »… Pulcinella is alive, heartwarming the one who adopt him, offering his breath and his unmatchable energy to the puppeteer as well as the exalted nation, on both sides of his castelet.Pulcinella and his avatars form a part of a tradition, able to freely adjust to each time and crossed territories. So, nowadays, the lucky puppeteers who have the opportunity to meet with this major tradition find out during their reserches that they just have to continue in a modest way to bear an old heroe rather than creating their own show. And this heroe just need them for a while.After having given birth to his Pulcinella in the streets of his native town, in Naples in the spring of 2001, under the advices and staff strokes of a Neapolitan master, the company « La Pendue » is following its road and Pulcinella’s, throwing him out in the middle of the popular arena where his legendary fate is at stake again during each performance.

POLI DEGAINE : Unbridled tradition

First there was the «Remède de Polichinelle», a show made of short scenes played «au chapeau» in towns and villages of France. Due to its great sucess, the troupe travelled from town to town, more than a 400 times in less than 3 years.After several years fully dedicated to research and improvisation around the Neapolitan glove puppet, the traditional castelet and the peculiar frenzy of Polichinelle, la Pendue gives birth to «Poli Degaine», with intent to stop prejudices and maintain the boiling tradition.Keeping the same traditional frameworks but intensifying the frenzied dynamic responsible for the success of «Le Remède de Polichinelle», «Poli dégaine» represents a toughened and frontal form of the last show. With a simple framework and expending skids, it ultimately offers the hilarious frenzy of a version which rules!

Synopsis

Two puppeteers on the run are bringing with them a massive weapon of hilarity: they draw Polichinelle, the most famous puppet in the world and, with unbridled enthusiasm, get ready to perform a show of which exceptional qualities they have proclaimed. But, as planned, nothing goes as planned. «Poli» refuses to interrupt his nap and play his part, and he wards off a variety of characters from the typical Polichinelle show – the dog, the hen, the policeman, the devil, the hangman – even his wife Dame Gigogne and their 22 children. He vanquishes all the puppets from the puppeteers’ traveling case. In the end, refusing the show becomes the reason for the show and the puppeteers have delivered on their promise of excellence.

De Te Fabula Narratur

« C’est toi le sujet de l’histoire »
Polichinelle is a character imbued with an exceptional richness, that is why interesting discoveries can be made about his origin, his voice, the meaning of his two bumps or his black mask. It is also interesting to study the role he plays in the Commedia dell’Arte and in the traditional street puppet theater, or wonder about his similarity with the buffoon and «Guignol», lord of the social satyr.However, La Pendue chose to explore initially his hability to play with the endless themes which underlies his strange philosophy. In fact, Polichinelle, simple glove puppet, both manipulated and absolutely free, wonderfully embodies the human duality, the pressure, the struggle or the coalition of complementary contraries. Both angelic and demonic, this character accepts all the contraries, displaying and laughing at them through the farce, this driving the spectator to return him to his own duality. With all these contraries fighting in each of us, he proves thus the indissociability. Rather than despising the conflict, he updates the absurd humour emerging from the impact, and succeeds to make this confrontation the own source of a very comic game.Eventually, Polichinelle offers to each of us the opportunity to enter into his inner castelet. Indeed, unlike other popular heroes, he is not just fighting against the society or foreign adversaries but against his alter ego. The battle is against himself.

An all audience show

The main interest of a Polichinelle show is that Polichinelle, however uncontrollable he may be, gathers people together. Over the course of the different reading levels, everyone get something out of it. No matter where we are, in a public square, a garden, an auditorium or an italian theater, it is in joy that Polichinelle manages to make people commune with, never mind the social background or the age. At a time where all is fragmented, limited and labelled for a targeted audience, Polichinelle stays true to his antique mission, bends over the castelet frame and maliciously farts in everyone face. He disperses the mouldings and the established order with just a breath, causing in the audience an archaic and healthy catharsis phenomenon.

Therefore, «Poli dégaine» is an archetypal all kind of public show. In fact, it is only after the mixture of all ages that magic can work.

Indeed, in order to believe in puppets, the adult has to strike down prejudice and let himself go through the imaginary liberty of the children surrounding him. Over this experience, the hidden child reappears, bringing with him this wild dazzler quality. Such is the important mission of a good Polichinelle: gather again, thanks to an euphoric abandon, the contraries that hurt, the child and the adult, and, finally, all who play the game.

In spite of wars, epidemics, disasters, revolutions and frenetic evolutions of the modern world, if Polichinelle is still alive, it is because he knows a great secret. A secret we all have in us.

Direction and performance : Estelle Charlier and Romuald Collinet
Creation and scenography: Romuald Collinet
Puppets: Estelle Charlier
Counsellor about everything and nothing: Romaric Sangars

« Un Polichinelle absolument magnifique, un modèle du genre, dans la grande tradition. » KARAGöZ

« Tout est judicieusement ficelé et tordant de rire, et le maniement des marionnettes est spectaculaire. » Froggydelight.com

« Une véritable performance. » « Des virtuoses de la marionnette. » Le Dauphiné

« Polichinelle (…), ils l’animent au sens le plus littéral du terme : anima, l’âme. » Le Journal du Centre

« Une cadence infernale, des courses-poursuites rebondissantes, des scènes d’action à vous couper le souffle, des quiproquos et imbroglios à n’en plus finir… non, ce n’est pas le dernier film de Tarantino, c’est un spectacle de théâtre forain et marionnettes à gaine. » « Effet cathartique radical. » happy-culture.com

« Chapeau bas et respect pour la prestation de la compagnie La Pendue qui allie manipulation, diction et interprétation de façon magistrale. » « Un spectacle détonnant ! » Ouest France

« A la fois maîtres de leur art, inventifs, et respectueux de quatre siècles de tradition d’irrespect. » Le Télégramme

« Un Polichinelle décapant à leurs mains, Estelle et Romu dépoussièrent la tradition. » L’Ardennais

« Un brin de folie, un zeste de Tex Avery, une technique de manipulation endiablée. » Le Progrès

« Magnifique moment de manipulation de marionnettes. » Paris Normandie

« Ça tue un ours ! » Zoé

Le Polichinelle de La Pendue a été programmé plus de 1000 fois, dans le cadre des festivals et saisons culturelles, en France et dans 30 pays…

INTERNATIONAL
Festival Le P’tit Poucet à Liège Belgium 2024 – Festival des arts de la rue de Huy – Belgium 2024 – PAULA Interfestival, St Gallen Suisse 2023 – Nekropolis Festival, Prague, République Tchèque, 2022 – Festival At.tencion, Lärz, ALLEMAGNE, 2022 – International Festival of Puppetry, Goeteborg, Suede, 2021 – Festival of Wonder, Silkeborg, DANEMARK, 2020- Popup Puppets Festival, Stockholm, SUEDE 2018 – Festival PannOpticum, Neusiedl am See, AUTRICHE, 2018 – Centro Federico García Lorca, Granada, ESPANA 2017 – Manipulate Visual Theatre Festival, The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen, UK, 2017 – Manipulate Visual Theatre Festival, Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, UK, 2017 – Puppet is a Human too, 11th International Festival of Puppet Theatre, Warsaw, POLOGNE, 2016 – Festival Theater Fadenschein, Braunschweig, ALLEMAGNE 2016 – The International Festival of Puppetry Schools in Bialystok, POLOGNE 2016 – International Puppet Festival, Istanbul, TURQUIE, 2015 – Westflügel Leipzig, ALLEMAGNE, 2015 – Festival Materia Prima, Krakow, POLOGNE, 2015 – Review of the Puppet Theaters in Rijeka, CROATIE, 2014 – Festival Westwind et FIDENA Essen, ALLEMAGNE, 2014 – Centro Cultural des Born, Barcelone, ESPAGNE, 2014- Festival IMAGINALE, Kammerspiele Heilbronn, Schnawwl Mannheim, Theater Phoenix Schorndorf et FITZ Stuttgart, ALLEMAGNE, 2014 – 19. Mezinarodni Festival, Hradec Kralové, CZECH REPUBLIC, 2013 – World Theater Festival Shizuoka under MT. Fuji, SPAC-Shizuoka Performing Art center, JAPON, 2013 – Festival El Rinconcillo de Cristobica, Valderrubio (Granada), ESPAGNE, 2013 – Internationales Figuren Theater Festival, Nuremberg, ALLEMAGNE, 2013 – Festival FIGUMA, Eupen, BELGIQUE, 2012 – Festival LUTKE, Ljubljana, SLOVENIE, 2012 – Theater Spektakel, Zurich, SUISSE, 2012 – Centro Dramatico Nacinal, Madrid, ESPAGNE, 2012 – Festival Titirimundi, Segovia, ESPAGNE, 2012 – Teatro Concha Velasco, Valladolid, ESPAGNE, 2012- 23a Fira Titelles Lleida, ESPAGNE, 2012 – Internationales Welser Figurentheaterfestival, Wels, AUTRICHE, 2012 – Festival of Wonder, Silkeborg, DANEMARK, 2011 – Semaine Internationale de la Marionnette en pays neuchâtelois, SUISSE, 2011- XIV.SchaubudenSommer, Dresden, ALLEMAGNE, 2011 – Fête du Parking, St Gallen, SUISSE, 2011 – Figura Theaterfestival, Baden, SUISSE, 2010 – Festival Skupova, Plzen, REPUBLIQUE TCHEQUE, 2010, 2015 – Festival Les Trois Jours de Casteliers, Montréal, Trois-Rivières, Terrebonne, Almonte, CANADA, 2010 – Linz 2009, AUTRICHE, 2009 – Semaines Internationales de la Marionnette, Neuchâtel, SUISSE, 2009 – Festival FIDENA “Kasper reloaded”, Bochum, ALLEMAGNE, 2009 – International Festival, Center for Puppetry Arts, Atlanta, Georgia, ETATS-UNIS, 2009 – Orlando International Puppet Festival, Orlando, Florida, ETATS-UNIS, 2009 – 2009 National Festival of the Puppeteers of America, Atlanta, Georgia, ETATS-UNIS, 2009 – Lindenfels Westflügel, Leipzig, ALLEMAGNE, 2009, 2015 – 8th International Figure Theatre Festival, Magdeburg, ALLEMAGNE, 2009 – Namur en Mai, Namur, BELGIQUE, 2009 – International Puppet Festival Ireland, Dublin, IRLANDE, 2008 – 11. Scheune Schaubuden Sommer, Dresden, ALLEMAGNE, 2008, 2015 – Festival Synergovia, Erfurt, ALLEMAGNE, 2008 – International Poppentheater Festival, Dordrecht, PAYS-BAS, 2008 – Festival Internacional de Marionetas e Formas Animadas, Lisbonne, PORTUGUAL, 2008 – Festival Titirimundi , Segovia, Miranda de Ebro, Burgos, Valladolid, Aranjuez, Madrid, Beranain, ESPAGNE, 2008 – Homunculus Festival, Hohenems, Autriche, 2008 – Latitude 50°, Marchin, BELGIQUE, 2007 – Cabaret Grotesque, St Gallen, SUISSE, 2007 – Festival Alles Kasperl !, Schaubude, Berlin, ALLEMAGNE, 2007 – Festival Internazionale del Teatro di Strada, Casertavecchia, ITALIE, 2007 – Casteliers, Montréal et alentours, CANADA, 2007 – The American Living Room Festival, New York, ETATS-UNIS, 2007 – The International Festival of Puppet Theater, Jérusalem, ISRAEL, 2007 – Festival « Marionette & Burattini », Parme, ITALIE, 2007 – La Cité des Spectacles, Lausanne, SUISSE, 2007 – Festival Versuchung, Berlin, ALLEMAGNE, 2006 – Festival Rue du Bocage, Herne, BELGIQUE, 2006 – Leu Tempo Festival, Saint Leu, LA REUNION, 2006 – Centre Culturel Français, Alexandrie, EGYPTE, 2005 – Kulturfabrik, Esch sur Alzette, LUXEMBOURG, 2005, 2006 – 6. Internationales Figurentheater Festival, Magdeburg, ALLEMAGNE, 2005 – Festival KinderKinder, Hambourg, ALLEMAGNE, 2004, 2005 – Festival Marionnettes de Fidena, Bochum, ALLEMAGNE, 2004

FRANCE
Théâtre Halles Roublot, Fontenay-sous-Bois (94) 2024 – Festival RéciDives, Le Sablier, Dives sur mer (14) 2023 –  Festival “Arrête ton cirque”, Paimpont (35) 2023 – Espace Philippe Noiret, Les Clayes-sous-bois (78) 2023 – Seine Normandie Aglomération, Vernon (27) 2023 – TEC Travail et Culture, Saint Maurice l’Exil (38) 2023 – Biennale avec ou sans Fil, L’Hectare, Vendômes (41) 2023 -Espace Jéliote, Oloron Saint Marie (64) 2022 – Festival Play Mobile XXL, Châtillon (92) 2022 – Le Trident, Scène Nationale de Cherbourg-en-Cotentin (50) 2022 – Le Trident, Scène Nationale de Cherbourg-en-Cotentin (50) 2022 – Festival Marché Noir des Petites Utopies, Marseille (13), 2021 – Festival Michtô, Nancy (54) 2021-Temps fort arts gestuels et marionnettes, Saint Péran (35) 2021 – Festival Mondial des Théâtres de Marionnettes, Charleville-Mézières, 2021 – Festival MIMOS, Périgueux (24), 2021- Festival Show patate, Herbeys (38), 2020 – La Bobine, Grenoble (38), 2020 – La Fabrique – Effigie(s), Meung sur Loire (45), 2020 – Les arts allumés, Le Mottier (38) 2019 – Le Channel, Scène Nationale de Calais (62) 2018 – Festival Saperlipuppet, La Chappelle-sur-Erdre (44) 2018 – Festival Méliscènes à Auray (56) 2017 – Festival de la Marionnette, Amphithéâtre de Pont de Claix (38), 2016 – Mi-Scéne, Poligny (39), 2016 – Tinqueux 2016 – Théâtre de Poche, Le Tricycle, Grenoble (38), 2016 – La Bobine, Grenoble (38), 2015 – Festival BriKaBrak, La Bugue (24), 2015 – Festival Rencontres Entre les Mondes, Chabeuil (26), 2015 – Théâtre du Temple, Saillans (26), 2015 – La Route du Sirque, Nexon (87), 2014 – Les chemins de Savoie, Espace Malraux Scène Nationale de Chambéry, Le Dôme Théâtre d’Albertville (73), 2014 – ATP Terres du Sud, Le Cailar (30), 2014 – Au fil du Tarn, Scène Nationale d’Albi, 2014 – Festival Les Arts des Vignes, Sussargues (34), 2013 – Rues & Vous, Rions (33), 2013 – Tournée MC2 – Scène Nationale de GRENOBLE (38), 2013 – Théâtre de Villeneuve-Les-Maguelone (34), 2012 – Théâtre Jacques Coeur, Lattes (34), 2012 – Festival Petites Formes Mouvantes et Emouvantes, Meung-sur-Loire (45), 2012 – Festival Mondial des Théâtres de Marionnettes de Charleville-Mézières, 2011- Le Pot au Noir, St Paul-Les-Monestiers (38), 2011- Amphithéâtre de Pont de Claix (38), 2012- Festival de la Marionnette de Grenoble (38), 2012- La BatYsse, Pélussin, 2011 – Festival «On n’arrive pas les mains vides», Villard-Reculas (38), 2011 – Festival Cergy, Soit !, Cergy (95), 2010 – Théâtre de Création, Grenoble, 2010 – MPT, Herbeys, 2008 – Les Colonnes, Blanquefort (33), 2008 – L’Odyssud, Blagnac (31), 2008 – Marionnettissimo, Festival International de Formes Animées, Castanet- Tolosan, Ramonville, 2008 – Théâtre Oloron Ste Marie (64), 2008 – L’Agora, Billere (64), 2008 – Festival Michto, Nancy, 2008 – Festival Castelet Idéal, Lyon, 2008 – Festival Rêve Général, Scène Nationale de Calais, 2008 – La Bobine, Grenoble, 2008, 2015- Festival Méliscènes, Auray, 2008 – Festival Rue En Salle, Allones, 2008 – Festival de la Marionnette de Grenoble, 2008 – Festival Momix, Kingersheim, 2008 – Festival Méli Mélo, Canejan, 2008 – Le Coléo, Pontcharra, 2008 – Festival MAR.T.O., Théâtre Jean Arp, Clamart, 2007 – Centre Culturel de Chevilly-Larue, 2007 – Marionnettissimo, Festival International de Formes Animées, Tournefeuille, 2007 – Festival International de la Marionnette de Mirepoix, 2007 – Festival Récré’ A4, Paris, 2007 – Festival Les Incroyables, Cusset, 2007 – Biennale Internationale des Arts de la Marionnette, Pantin, 2007 – Festival Méliscènes, Auray, 2008 – Théâtre Jean Arp, Clamart, 2007 – Centre Culturel de Chevilly-Larue, 2007 – Théâtre d’ Eu, 2007 – Théâtre de l’Echarde, Rouen, 2007 – Espace Culturel de Vendenheim, 2007 – MJC Ay, 2007 – L’Odyssée, Eybens, 2007 – Festival Théâtre A Tout Age, Quimper, 2006 – Théâtre Nouvelle Génération, Lyon, 2006 – Odyssée, Château-Arnoux, 2006 – Festival Confluences, Avoine, 2006 – Théâtre de Domfront, 2006 – Maison de la Culture, Gauchy, 2006 – 13e et 14e Festival Mondial des Théâtres de Marionnettes, Charleville-Mézières, 2003, 2006, 2015 – A la Saint Amour, Festival Le Nombril du Monde, Pougne-Hérisson, 2005, 2006 – 7e Festival de la Marionnette de Bernay, 2006 – Le Gueulard, Nilvange, 2006 – Théâtre de Fos sur Mer, 2006 – Tournées scolaires, Fédération des Œuvres Laïques, 18 départements, 2005, 2006 – Le Théâtre / Scène nationale de Narbonne, 2006 – Festival A pas Contés, ABC Dijon, 2006 – Théâtre de Marionnettes de Belfort, 2006 – Théâtre de Villeneuve- lès-Maguelone, 2005 – Festimôme, St Etienne, 2005 – L’Atelier à Spectacle, Vernouillet, 2005 – Quai des Arts, Pornichet, 2005 – Scènes pour la Marmaille, Les Itinéraires de la Marmaille, Limoges, 2005, 2006 – Théâtre de Vals les Bains, 2005 – Théâtre du Puy en Velay, 2005 – Maison des Comoni, Revest les Eaux, 2005 – Espace 600, Grenoble, 2005 – La Faïencerie, La Tronche, 2005 – Festival du Rire, Villard de Lans, 2005 – Théâtre d’Issoire, 2005 – Fête de la Marionnette, Néons sur Creuse, 2005 – Festival de la Parole, Capbreton, 2005 – Textes en l’Air, Saint Antoine l’Abbaye, 2005 – Festival de la Marionnette, Masvaux, 2005 – 18e Festival de la Marionnette, Dives sur Mer, 2005 – Festival de l’Arpenteur, Les Adrets, 2005 – Festiv’Iles, Saint Sébastien sur Loire, 2005 – Festival La Vallée, St Astier, 2005 – 11e Festival Scène en Seille, Lorraine, 2005 – 17e Festival Paroles Plurielles, Blois, 2005 – Festival de Guercheville, 2005 – Théâtre Massalia, Marseille, 2004, 2005 – Festival de la Marionnette, Grenoble, 2004, 2005, 2006 – Semaine nationale Spectacles en Recommandé, Besançon, 2005 – Festival Entre Nous, Nevers, 2004 – Festival de la marionnette, Brie Comte Robert, 2001, 2004 – Festival Les Larmes du Rire, Festival Bouge l’Eté, Epinal, 2004 – Journée Inter-Scènes, Conseil Général de l’Isère, 2004 – Festival du Parc Pasteur, Orléans, 2004 – 13e Festival Au Bonheur des Mômes, Grand Bornand, 2004 – Festival Plaisir d’Humour, Pontarlier, 2004 – 10e Festival Marionnettes en Campagne, Lusseray, 2004 – Festival Marionnettes, Forges les Eaux, 2004 – 4e et 5e Festival La Marelle, Maizières-les-Metz, 2004, 2005 – Festival Marionnettes Toi-Même, Billom, 2004 – 6e Festival de la Marionnette, Binic, 2004 – 3e Festival Petites Formes Mouvantes et Emouvantes, Meung sur Loire, 2003, 2006, 2020