Maintaining Balance In A World That Is Collapsing And Disintegrating: Exclusive Interview With Members of Galactik Ensemble
▚ 𝔾𝕒𝕝𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕜 𝔼𝕟𝕤𝕖𝕞𝕓𝕝𝕖 – ℤ𝕦𝕘𝕫𝕨𝕒𝕟𝕘
𖥑 Time｜𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟜.𝟙𝟚.𝟙𝟜 ── 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟜.𝟙𝟚.𝟙𝟝
𖥑 Location｜TPAC Globe Playhouse
𖥑 Tickets Sale｜https://lihi2.com/EEwKa
𖥑 Program Page｜https://tpac.org.taipei/program/1066
Article Editing / Taipei Performing Arts Center
Two members of Galactik Ensemble, Jonas Julliand and Mathieu Bleton, were invited to talk about the core creative background and introduce some interesting details related to their production Zugzwang.
1. Can you briefly explain how the members met and decided to form Galactik Ensemble?
We met in 2004 at École Nationale des Arts du Cirque de Rosny-sous-bois (ENACR) in Paris, while learning a very traditional circus skill known as the teeterboard. Many years later, we became circus professionals and tried our hand at directing. In 2015, we decided to jointly establish Galactik Ensemble. Our philosophy is to attempt to physically reflect current situations. With our professional circus background and training, we let our bodies respond to situations in philosophical and artistic ways.
2. Can you share the inspiration behind Zugzwang or some interesting stories about its creative process?
Zugzwang describes a world that is disintegrating and destructing. We hope to apply the resources and materials that we have at hand in multiple ways, such as making walls collapse and floors move. We have built many sets to present a chaotic world view. For example, we encountered technical issues while trying to implement this idea of a moving floor during the premiere of this work. It is very difficult to create on-stage effects that involve numerous mechanical devices.
3. Galactik Ensemble continues to use situational acrobatics to explore the precise relationships between hostile environments and human adaptability. Can you briefly describe what situational acrobatics mean to you and how you present both emotions and circus skills at the same time?
The establishment of Galactik Ensemble was based on acrobatic performances. However, we hope to present these in different ways, using our bodies to respond in real-time to different settings or unexpected situations or problems.
For example, while walking on an icy road, it is necessary to keep one’s legs straight to avoid slipping. For us, this kind of physical reaction is akin to wanting to find physical balance or so-called situational acrobatics. They give our works real meaning. We grasp the situation and perform it on the spot.
4. Regarding the idea of “uncontrollable,” the traditional understanding of the circus is that it involves precise physical movements or control. However, what you are presenting is how the body reacts in an uncontrollable situation. Extending from this, how does Galactik Ensemble view the uncontrollability of life?
We created this kind of performance with the hope of presenting various reactions to uncontrollable situations. Therefore, there is a very high level of improvisation in each performance. For every performance, we improvise various situations to reveal the types of responses every person has when resisting a disintegrating environment. Circus practices and acrobatics now are very different from those of the past. The body is pragmatically used to speak, rather than just to show off skills. Our performances are more like dance productions. Through the combination of the physical and the emotional, there is a kind of poetic quality that is expressed. We want to appear to audiences, not as superhumans, but as ordinary humans who are attempting to react to situations, just like everyone else.
In terms of comparisons to real life, we want to express a kind of resilience, an adaptability. This is not only on a cognitive or emotional level, but also manifested physically. Our minds and bodies are malleable like metal and are flexible. They can be stretched or formed into different shapes, but their essence remains unchanged. We want to use this kind of metaphor to present poetic imagery. Through these performances, we bring these concepts together.
5. This production does not follow a linear narrative and there is no so-called leading man. What was the thinking behind this dramaturgy? Can you also briefly talk about the impact of the concepts of theater master Eugenio Barba on this work?
While performing on stage, we present a small-scale civilized society made up of five people. In this small-scale society, everyone is equal and there is no leader. We are all on the same footing. No one is more powerful than anyone else. This is a small-scale microcosm of society and the interactions among people that we also want to present.
Traditionally, dramaturgy refers to methods of storytelling. However, what we want to present is a reflection on life, rather than a complete story. The dramaturgical concepts proposed by theater master Eugenio Barba include methods for connecting the various actions taking place on stage. Here, actions refer to lighting design, stage performers, sets, and our actions and costumes. These different elements all play their own roles. Our challenge is how to put them together to bring the entire narrative to life. Concepts like resilience or adaptability, small-scale civilized society, which we just mentioned, resonate with different actions. For example, if something falls onto the stage, it changes the performance and how it appears to the audience. What we are presenting on stage is a crisis of disintegration. Here, the meaning of dramaturgy is to piece these contents together into a storyline that is very intertwined.
6. What was the logic behind the selection of music for different parts? During the performance, there are Italian and Japanese songs. What was the motivation for using these? What do they represent?
We believe that music is a part of the physical aspect and a part of our physical development. It acts as an amplifier. As the concept of this work comes from “reality,” we wanted to use a large number of microphones on stage to capture real sounds and amplify the situation, while emphasizing this concept, for example, the sounds of wheels rolling across the stage and machines operating. This process transforms or destroys the world that we are presenting on stage.
There is another idea. We hope that the concept of this work resembles a balloon that is being inflated. At first, what is presented is a flat reality. Our voices start to emerge from among the sounds on site. The development of the story is like a balloon that is being inflated, generally developing into a scene and situation, flying upward from reality and finally possibly landing in a completely different reality to enter a poetic world.
Songs that are included in the performance are Japanese and Italian versions of a famous French song by a well-known French singer. We have heard that the Japanese version was very popular and a hit in Japan. We sang this song in the style of karaoke during the performance with the hope that this action could be a means for resisting this disintegrating world. The reason why we initially thought that this song was interesting is that it premiered in France, which made us even more decisive about using the Japanese and Italian versions. That is, we wanted to present a famous French song in languages that are relatively unfamiliar, to introduce unfamiliar elements to French audiences. The subject of this song is actually very sad. It describes the world coming to an end but we are still surviving. Singing this song brings hope and joy, and serves as a solution for resisting this world.
7. A painting appears to be linked to this production. It is by Pieter Bruegel the Elder and entitled The Hunters in the Snow. What was the motivation for designing this link and what was the reason for choosing this painting?
The painting The Hunters in the Snow depicts a scene from the 18th century, while Zuzgwang is set in the 1970s. For us, this kind of presentation of a wall that is about to crumble and this painting creates overlap and contrast along the time axis. It also represents the old world superimposed over the new world. At the same time, it echoes the winter imagery in the lyrics of the song.
8. One of the sources of inspiration for Zugzwang is Hyperlink Cinema. Can you elaborate on the link between Hyperlink Cinema and your production?
In terms of the concept and narrative of Hyperlink Cinema, a story is not told in chronological order. The characters may pass between time periods and situations. Moreover, a story may start at the end and end at the beginning. During our performances, we use sets with moving walls, creating small theaters within a large theater space. With these methods, we can quickly switch between stories. The source of this inspiration is Hyperlink Cinema, this style of filmmaking. In such films, switching between scenes makes it possible to quickly move from one story to the next. We love the movies very much. This is also why we hope to transfer elements from the movies to the stage.
9. What are your thoughts on contemporary circus development trends?
These two members expressed different views on this subject, as described below:
Jonas Julliand: The contemporary circus originated 50 years ago, but due to political and economic factors, and wars, the circus environment in France has been in decline. We believe that circus schools in France are still focusing on skills and lack creativity.
Mathieu Bleton: The circus has a long history and throughout history its form has constantly been adjusted. For example, in ancient times, when at war, French soldiers set up tents and put on circus performances. Later, a touring format was developed that included animals and acrobats. By the 1970s or 1980s, the circus was undergoing huge changes. We can even say that the traditional circus has been disappearing with the times and the previous touring style with animal acts is no longer suited to the lifestyles of contemporary society. Contemporary circus culture has not yet received support or assistance from political figures. Therefore, the current contemporary circus environment is very fragile. As a result, the contemporary circus has become closed off. We hope that the contemporary circus can move forward in a better direction. In fact, the contemporary circus has come a long way from the most traditional circus.
The contemporary circus has developed different forms and formats and has incorporated many social issues. Its role is constantly evolving. The ancient traditional circus was a form of entertainment for royalty and nobility. Over time, the definition of circus has gradually changed. For us, the concept of circus is very fluid and flexible. It can be combined with dance and with theater.
