théâtre de l'ombrelle

A shadow show by three women In 1975, it is the meeting of three women: Florence de Andia, Colette Blanchet, Sylvie Vallery-Masson… who share their common experience of graphics and dancing to experiment on the shadow show based on traditional techniques. Since 1977 they have created and played many shows especially for the young audience. In 1986, Françoise Rouillon, puppeteer and actress joined the troupe.

A visual and poetic expression From the beginning, the Théâtre de l’Ombrelle has taken its inspiration from contemporary art forms (including dancing, painting, cinema…) while they kept the freshness and the naivety which has always been the attribute of the shadow theatre. Many arts are mixed: dancing, mimic, masks, puppets, objects, graphics and plastics merge with the sets and the colourful play of lights..

A theatre of gestures The Théâtre de l’Ombrelle takes its originality from its physical shadow work, which can situated between shadow show and the actor theatre. It is a gestural theatre: in the shadow show, each gesture is significant and the shape, which is the physical attitude, is essential… Behind the curtain, the actor «gives life» to his shadow and makes it «play», aware of this ambiguity that the audience feels: Is it a puppet or a living persona? The curtain becomes a magic support for the actor which allows him to see himself and to be seen by the audience. Most of the time, the actors use flat masks, sideways. Using them develops a particular play technique, a specific gesture. The silhouettes are projected on big screens which touch the ground. The projectors situated three or four meters behind the screen (which allow increasing or decreasing the size of the silhouette) appear or disappear. The diversity of the light sources develops various possibilities of plays and special effects.

The domesticated light The emotion is created by the «magic» dimension of the light, which comes out of the darkness to give life to animated shadows. Soft, coloured, masked, divided, moved, dissolved… It becomes artistic matter, a life and expression which allow creating atmospheres, composing scenes, conjuring illusions. And the magic works… the shadows stretch and divide themselves, the objects split and change. The illusion becomes true.
A musical shadow theatre For each show, a composer creates the music and the sound atmosphere regarding the situations and images. This musical work has been elaborated step by step in collaboration with us while we were creating the show.
For the show Le Chevalier au Lion (The Knight and the Lion), three a cappella singers interpret in front of the scene some polyphonic songs from the Middle-Age.
For the show Ouvre-moi la porte (Open me the door), a pianist in front of the screen interprets music from Erik Satie and accompanies the images like a silent film.
In Chasseurs de Lune (Moon Hunters), a Kora player, musician and storyteller (Lamine Konté) takes us on a journey to the deep Africa.
In Mozart, côté Cours (Mozart scenic side), a lyric singer and a pianist make children discover the music from the prodigy composer.
In the show Rue du Soleil (Sun Street) two jazz musicians give the rhythm during the show.
L’Eléphant dans le Noir (The Elephant in the dark) leads us into the festal universe of the music of Turkey and the Balkans.

Main spectacles of the Théâtre de l’Ombrelle
1976 Le Voyage de Tête en l’air (The journey of Scatter-brain)
1978 Le Chat noir (The black cat)
1981 Vol de Lune (Moon flight)
1983 Le Petit Chaperon noir (Little black Riding Hood)
1985 Histoire de mauvais temps (Bad weather story)
1988 À toi de chanter, mignonne (« Your turn to sing, sweety »)
1990 La planète Kokomo (The Kokomo Planet)
1992 Pas si bêtes ! ( Not so silly !)
1994 Le Chevalier au Lion (The knight and the lion)
1997 Ouvre-moi la porte (« Open me the door »)
1999 Chasseurs de Lune (Moon hunters)
2000 Mozart, côté cours (Mozart, courtyard side)
2003 Rue du Soleil (Sun Street)
2005 Blanche et son ombre (Blanche and her shadow)
2008 L’éléphant dans le noir (The elephant in the dark)
2009 Le Prince Tigre (The Tiger Prince)

The stages
The shows of Theatre de l’Ombrelle have been played at many festivals, national theatres, theatres and cultural centres in France and abroad wiith a capacity from 300 to 600 children.
In Paris and its surroundings
NANTERRE (92) Théâtre des Amandiers, Maison de la Musique, Salle Daniel Ferry– CRETEIL (94) Maison des Arts – ASNIERES (92) studio Théâtre – DAMMARIE LES LYS (77) Salle Raymond Bussières– NEUILLY sur Seine (92) Le Village -LE KREMLINBICETRE (94) Espace Culturel André Malraux– TREMBLAY EN France (93) Centre Culturel Aragon– ARGENTEUIL (95) Salle Jean Vilar– SAINT CYR L’ECOLE (78) Théâtre Gérard Philippe – VILLEPARISIS (77) Centre Culturel Jacques Prévert Jacques Prévert– VINCENNES (94) Centre Culturel Georges Pompidou– PARIS (75) Théâtre National de Chaillot– RUEIL MALMAISON (92) Théâtre André Malraux– NOISY LE GRAND (93) Espace Michel Simon– VILLEJUIF (94) Théâtre Romain Rolland– BAGNEUX (92) Théâtre– VILLIERS SUR MARNE (94) Ecole Municipale de Musique– LA VERRIERE (78) Le Scarabée– RAMBOUILLET (78) Le Nickel– LA CELLE SAINT CLOUD (78) Théâtre Municipal– ARNOUVILLE LES GONESSE (95) Espace Charles Aznavour– GENTILLY (94) Salle des Fêtes– SAINT MAUR (94) Théâtre Municipal– MAISONS-ALFORT (94) NECC– COULOMMIERS (77) La Sucrerie– LE BLANC MESNIL (93) Forum Culturel– CHATENAY MALABRY (92) La Piscine GIF SUR YVETTE (91) la Terrasse– ETAMPES (91) Espace Jean Carmet – BOULOGNE BILLANCOURT (92) Théâtre– ERMONT (95) Théâtre Pierre Fresnay– NOGENT SUR MARNE (94) Palais des Arts– SCEAUX (92) Les Gémeaux– LE VESINET (78) Théâtre– THORIGNY SUR MARNE (77) le Moustier– SAINT MAURICE (94) Théâtre du Val d’Osne – SAINT GERMAIN EN LAYE (78) Salle Jacques Tati– PARIS (75) Cité de la Musique, Musée Dapper, Espace Paris Plaine, Théâtre du Jardin d’Acclimatation– SAINT CLOUD (92) les 3 Pierrots – BRIE COMTE ROBERT (77) Salle des Fêtes– BEZONS (95) Théâtre Paul Eluard—HERBLAY (95) Théâtre Roger Barat – AUBERVILLIERS (93) Espace Rencontres–ANTONY (92) Théâtre Firmin Gémier– VILLIERS LE BEL (95) Espace Marcel Pagnol– FRANCONVILLE (95) Théâtre Jean Cocteau– SAINT OUEN (93) Espace 1789—FONTENAY AUX ROSES (92) Théâtre des Sources– THIAIS (94) Théâtre René Panhard– CORBEIL ESSONNES (91) Théâtre– ISSY LES MOULINEAUX (92) Halle des Epinettes– CHARENTON (94) Théâtre des Deux rives– SEVRES (92) SEL– EVRY (91) L’Agora scène nationale – etc….
Provincial towns
BEAUVAIS (60) TEB- LISIEUX(14) Théâtre– DEAUVILLE (14) Salle Elie de Brignac – SAINT-ETIENNE(42) L’Esplanade – COULAINES (72) Salle des Sources– SAINT-MALO (35) Théâtre Chateaubriand– CAHORS (46) auditorium– CASTRES (81) Théâtre municipal– VERNON (27) Espace Philippe Auguste– DUNKERQUE (59) Le Bateau Feu – Scène Nationale. SETE (34) Théâtre – Scène Nationale- SAINT PRIEST (69) Centre culturel Théo Argence – ALBERTVILLE (73) Le Dôme Théâtre– TOURS (37) Grand Théâtre– PERTUIS (84) Théâtre Municipal– BERNAY (27) Salle Le piaf– EVREUX (27) Scène nationale– LOUVIERS (27) Salle des Fêtes– GISORS (27) Salle des Fêtes– ARMENTIERES (59) Le Vivat -THOUARS (79) S’Il vous plait Théâtre– TOURCOING (59) Tréteaux Jeunes Publics– BLAGNAC (31) Chapelle Saint Exupère, Odyssud – VITRE (35) Centre Jean Duhamel– MORNANT (69) Espace culturel– BORDEAUX (33) Opéra, Grand Théâtre– VILLENEUVE SUR LOT (47) Centre Culturel– SAINT AVOLD (57) Centre culturel– AIX EN PROVENCE (13) Théâtre du Jeu de Paume – NANCY (54) Espace Poirel – BLANQUEFORT (33) Les Colonnes– TARBES (65) Le Parvis– DREUX (28) Théâtre– MIRAMAS (13) Théâtre la Colonne– APT (84) Salle des Fêtes– LA FERTE BERNARD (72) Centre Culturel Athéna– LA NORMA (73) Maison la Norma– CLAMECY (58) Salle Polyvalente – ISSOUDUN (36) Centre Culturel Albert Camus– LA CIOTAT (13) Théâtre du Golfe– ARCACHON (33) L’Eden– TOURS (37) Grand Théâtre– ST JEAN DU MONT (85) Palais des Congrès– CHERBOURG (50) Le Trident– LILLE (59) Le Grand Bleu– CHARLEVILLE-MEZIERES (08) Festival International de la Marionnette– ROCHEFORT (17) Théâtre de la Coupe d’Or– COLMAR (68) Théâtre Municipal– DOUAI (59) L’Hippodrome– ANGERS (49) Centre Jean Vilar– POITIERS (86) Centre Beaulieu– ARQUES (62) CC Balavoine– LOUDEAC (22) Palais des Congrès– ERMENONVILLE (60) Parc JJ Rousseau– BASTIA (20) Théâtre Municipal– AMBOISE (37) Théâtre Beaumarchais etc.
In the world
AUSTRALIA – MALAISIA – WEST AFRICA – EAST AFRICA – NEW-YORK – SWISS (Meyrin, Lausanne, La Chaux de Fonds)- ITALIE (…) TURKEY(Istanbul, Ankara, Adana, Izmir), …