High-octane trapeze and dizzying juggling were all part of the action at last night’s performance of Me, Myself and Us by French circus trio Tête d’Enfant.
As part of a worldwide tour that has already taken them to Switzerland, Belgium, Italy and Germany, Tête d’Enfant told the story of three men trapped in a setting devoid of time and space, similar to Waiting for Godot.
One of the characters was from the French children’s book The Litte Prince; another, the naive pantomime character “Pierrot”; and the third, a man more in touch with his feminine side.
The male trio who trained at the National Circus School of Montreal, juggled, trapezed, danced and balanced on each other.
“We are doing living art most of all. A mixture of circus technique, dance, physical theatre,” said performer Florent Lestage via email.
“We don’t speak much, only a few words, [but] you don’t have to understand what we say to understand the show,” said the 28-year-old. “We based it more on an emotional logic, rather than on an intellectual one.”
With a soundtrack that ranged from James Brown to Chopin, and also featured Alva Noto and Art Tatum, the music played the role of a fourth character.
“The music is used in the show a bit like you would use some different colours in a painting, to put some reliefs in the show, to sustain the spirit of each part of the show,” said Lestage
Their first tour under the name Tête d’Enfant, the trio met at the National Circus School of Montreal in 2004 and have been performing together ever since.
After previously travelling with world-renowned circus troupe Les 7 Doigts de la Main, on their Psy tour, this new show provided them with many challenges.
“As performers, for us this was the first time we did a whole show, and not only an act,” said Lestage.
“So the challenge was more artistic, learning to write and structure a show, and being able to hold the stage and the audience whilst being only three.”
The trio, who take their name from a quote in the French film Les Enfants du Paradis, will continue on to the Philippines after Phnom Penh.
