Saturday night will see the French Cultural Centre play host to the unique artistic duo Stereoptik, who are travelling to Cambodia as part of a slew of appearances across Southeast Asia.

Stereoptik was born from a chance meeting between Jean-Baptiste Maillet and Romain Bermond, when the pair was tasked with performing in a brass band in 2008.

Both men are accomplished musicians in their native France, and eventually decided to collaborate as a way of utilising the whole range of their artistic talents.

The result is a remarkable performance piece, where the duo take turns in producing the visual and music components of a story improvised during the performance itself.

“The duo successively take on the roles of artist, sound-effects engineer, one-man band, projectionist, storyteller and props man,” said Charles Vairet, Stereoptik’s tour manager.

“They do not use any sophisticated technologies. Only paper, instruments, cardboard, pencils, and a video projector. And imagination.”

“It is a poetical show. At the heart of the show lies also the emergence of a work of art, as light is shed on its creation.

Each sequence is put together in front of our very eyes as drawings take shape and are projected onto a giant screen, whilst an original music piece is composed live.”

Vairet said that Stereoptik’s performances had been well received in France by people of all ages.

The duo will perform in Phnom Penh in between appearances at the Festival La Fete in Bangkok and the French Cultural Centre in Jakarta.

Stereoptik will perform at 7pm on Saturday February 25, at the French Cultural Centre, on Street 184 near Monivong Blvd. The performance is free, but patrons will need to pick up tickets from the Cultural Centre’s library before 6pm on any day up to and including Saturday.