Figaroscope.fr & Evène18 October 2009
L’Atelier du peintre
See online on: http://evene.lefigaro.fr/
Beneath the canvas big top of Cirque Plume, earthly laws of physics seem to have been abolished in a strange confusion of genres: statues come to life, bodies become works of art, and the pictures move. Lightness and poetry are the rule, freshness and fantasy are the order of the day. All of which provides the troop with an excuse for poetic ramblings, a visit to the museum quickly turns into a string of different kinds of routine: German wheel, hand-to-hand balancing, trampolining, all kinds of acrobatics. ’L’Atelier du peintre’ is definitely not one of those sophisticated shows that leave the audience alienated and confused. Cirque Plume doesn’t go over the top, but has talent on a human scale and unpretentious numbers. All of which is no barrier - quite the contrary - to it casting a spell and working its magic. Lighting effects, optical illusions and atmospheric music complement the acrobatics of the performers in a show that is full of inventiveness. A special mention goes to Tibo Tout Court, with his musical juggling act. And one can only applaud the beauty of the final scene, a tableau that mixes humour, art and virtuosity.
Less successful, the humorous interludes tend to slow things down a little and introduce a note of trivia where the audience was expecting poetry. Although some of them raise a laugh, others- less spiritual, even crude to be frank - only seem designed to draw out the show, with the result that the audience grows impatient for it to end. It’s just a small error that takes the edge off the overall enjoyment. Cirque Plume still provides enjoyable entertainment, the recipe for which is a touch of madness, a hint of a dreamlike quality, and lots of fantasy.
Marine Polselli