"Après Barbe Bleue" (After Bluebeard), the latest creation by Clément Althaus, prince of letters and arts

Wednesday, 17 January 2024

Published on the website: Resonances Lyriques Org

© Rémy Masseglia

"Life is not a fairy tale!" That is precisely why Charles Perrault intended his tales not only for children but also for adults, slipping in numerous allusions to the customs of the time, which are still relevant today!  In this veritable literary treasure hunt, this tangle of psychological meanings appealing to both analysis and the unconscious, Clément Althaus's latest creation, prince of letters and arts, musketeer (Clément Athos!) of song, music and comedy, was not to be missed for anything in the world. It is no coincidence that the region's most prestigious institutions, including Anthéa, regularly programme him. 1

Perrault addresses so many themes in this tale: fear, as blue as the sky; red, like the devil; white, like the purity of love in her long wedding veil; black, like despair; invisible, like perversity!

© Rémy Masseglia

"Love is blind, and marriage restores sight." Thus, the musical piece highlights the imperfections of man. Only a small minority of couples applaud in response to the question openly posed to the audience: "Which of you are married?" And for good reason! The tale targets the pain of marital betrayal, the torment of lost trust, the misfortune of pure souls who are too naive and eager for absolute love, manipulation driven by greed, the temptation of the forbidden, the spoiling of the child-king who breaks the rules, the feminist revolt of the liberated woman, the suffering of a hyper-sensitive being traumatised in his early childhood and subjected to the wrath of his untamable emotions, the disappointment in a human society incapable of civilising itself with dignity... By Jove! Isn't killing a criminal committing a crime of the same kind? Isn't betting money on true love, as the storyteller turned TV game show host does, with the crowd happily and unscrupulously participating, a disgrace? Is buying love sensible? Which of us is not touched by one of these terribly human weaknesses? That is what Clément proclaims: "We all have a Bluebeard!"

© Rémy Masseglia

In a minimalist setting, where the monumental organ verticalises the ideal relationship, the protagonists colour the stage with guitar notes and percussive beats, flute melodies and songs – violins, Irish music and childhood refrains: "We won't go to the woods anymore, the laurels have been cut down..." " Molière-esque language is mixed with sarcastic humour, reality with ideals, the 3D of our daily lives with the shadow puppets of our imagination...

© Rémy Masseglia

Can revisiting Perrault's tales captivate an adult audience? Yes, because beyond appearances, this is not simply a performance aimed at a child audience, but a universal language evoking the complexity and difficulty of human relationships. Yes, because missing the latest show by this brilliant multidisciplinary artist from Nice is simply inconceivable, especially as he is accompanied by actors, singers and musicians who perfectly embody their stage roles: Jérémie Boumendil (percussion), Gwenn Masseglia (flute) and Claudia Musso (flute and organ). By attending this interpretation of the tale, the large audience was able to immerse themselves in the rainbow pleasures of an eternal philosophy.

On display until 26 January 2023 at Anthéa.

Nathalie Audin

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1 As well as the National Theatre of Nice and the Nice Opera House.

2 Actor, singer, musician, composer, performer, director

Text, music and direction : Clément Althaus

Artistic collaborator :  Adrian Althaus

Assistant director and production manager :  Vanessa Anheim Cristofari 

Set design :  START 361°

Construction :  Gilles Février

Lights:  Raphaël Maulny

Costumes :  START 361°

Production :  START 361°

Coproduction :  Anthéa, théâtre d’Antibes

DISTRIBUTION : 

Clément Althaus

Jérémie Boumendil

Gwenn Masseglia

Claudia Musso