Wednesday evening took place, at the Gilles-Vigneault theater in Saint-Jérôme, the show The Night of the Deer of the French company Cirque Le Roux. A work that follows their first success The Elephant in the Room and which immerses us again in a unique universe where virtuosity, theatre, cinema and burlesque intermingle.
As in its first opus, Cirque Le Roux embraces with open arms the 7e art. From the start, it is on a large canvas that the setting of the story that will unfold before our eyes is projected, but also that the characters are presented, as in any good credits. In the background, we already discover the virtuosity of the performers who sway each other in clinch and hand to hand with ease.
The story is then unveiled: French New Wave and American Grinhouse movement of the 1970s. Mme Betty, who we follow in the first part of the company’s triptych, is dead. For this funeral occasion, his three children and two of their spouses meet in the family home, in the middle of the forest. Caricatural, clumsy, extravagant… the characters assert themselves in their originality and we quickly understand the links that unite them. Between complicity and judgement, the family tries to support and love each other, somehow!
Suddenly, a new character pops up. Panicked, he reportedly hit a deer and seeks help. His lightning entrance upsets the family, but we finally see that chance is far from having been the instigator of this new meeting. Love and betrayal are in fact the basis of this both clownish and sensitive epic. Quiet ! We will not reveal all the surprises of this room!
A well crafted work
Tightrope, aerobatics, banquine, hand to hand, balancing… The six circus performers combine moments of virtuosity with theatrical play, texts, dance and changes of scenery. All this mixture works wonderfully thanks to a solid narrative framework. In addition to being impressed by the physical performances, we get attached to the characters and we completely immerse ourselves in the plot.
To top it all, The Night of the Deer offers a very elaborate scenography. You can really see different rooms in the house, where events sometimes take place in parallel, where the atmospheres differ, in particular thanks to the lights and the accessories, and where the characters live their adventures, together, or separately.
The work offers a beautiful coherence while playing on the alternation of sketches detached from the story, which often rely on tenderness and offer a new look at a character, as well as on the stage space. Finally, the music of Alexandra Stréliski coats the whole thing with nuances, lyrical flights and affirms even more the cinematographic aspect.
Always with accuracy, the artists embody both their scenic personality often in humor, while alternating with moments where grace and gentleness support the technicality and also avoid risks as much as possible. The chemistry and trust between the artists is felt and is beautiful to see.
Cirque Le Roux brilliantly uses different mediums to tell a story. The dramaturgy is indeed magically supported by the bodies, the dance and the skills of each. The cinematographic homage is also very clear. In addition, artists are constantly renewing their style. The research is elaborate: unusual lifts, innovative human structures, original aerobatics, surprising acrobatics… The circus choreography is very elaborate, and skilfully put together. A great adventure to see and experience!