Ersatz

Première 18. januar 2018, Théâtre de Laval – Centre National de la Marionnette

Running time 50 minutes. No intermission. 

Concept and Director Julien Mellano
External perspective Etienne Manceau
Lighting designer and Stage manager Sébastien Thomas
Sound device manager Gildas Gaboriau
Composers Olivier Mellano, Mauricio Kagel 

Co-producers 
Festival 11 – Biennale de la marionnette et des formes manipulées (FR), Scène nationale du Sud-Aquitain (FR)

Cast
Julien Mellano
 
Ersatz is a freely fantasised projection of the man of tomorrow, conceived by Julien Mellano, a versatile man of theatre who is no stranger to assuming the roles of director, performer and set designer simultaneously. The projection is a vision of a potential monster, a man who is a bizarre result of the alchemy between humans and machines. This solitary specimen in Ersatz seems to be the remnant of a disenchanted future, as he suffers the consequences of a technological revolution that has not entirely regained its footing. In this piece without words, Julien Mellano probes virtual reality by manipulating real objects. A blend of humour and disturbing farce, he invites the audience into a mysterious treasure hunt where langage articulates itself from DIY and pocket special effects. A crossroad between theatre and visual art, to reach the escape point of our humanity whether real, virtual or augmented.

Julien Mellano is an all-rounder: director, performer and scenographer, his creations are the result of a crossing over theater and visual arts. With his intriguing charisma and a formal simplicity, Julien takes all kind of audiences into enigmatic and funny worlds. Our landmarks falter; beauty and ugliness, body and spirit, distressing and delight are mixed up. The curious performances of Julien Mellano draw a modest ode to fantaisie. First identified with his small pieces of visual theater (Mon Oeil, Ma Biche et Mon Lapin, Gargantua), he is familiar with French and international stages that are interested in object theater and transversal forms.

Besides being the sound of drama about to happen, AIE AIE AIE (OH NO!) is a collective of artists who explore staging and its writings. Each one carries out his/her projects of creation, whilst the collective provides a meeting ground, and makes available the range of tools necessary for production and distribution.The artists share a curiosity for all forms of creation (theater, visual arts, music, etc) and a taste for the reimagining of images and objects. AIE AIE AIE has produced around fifteen shows, presented in a wide variety of contexts in France and internationally. AIE AIE AIE is supported by the Ministry of Culture - DRAC of Brittany, Regional Council of Brittany, County Council of Ille-et-Vilaine, City Council of Rennes.
www.aieaieaie.fr

AÏE AÏE AÏE is supported by the French Ministry of Culture - DRAC of Brittany, the Regional Council of Brittany and the City Council of Rennes.
This series of performances in Slovenia is financially supported by Spectacle vivant en Bretagne.