What we like is not being in the core of disciplines, but just on the edge, on the slice, in a place where there is no juggling or acrobatics, theatre or dance, but which tries to be an event, an action, able to produce trouble, with the means belonging tostaging …
Trilogy about space
Since its creation, CIE 111 has been aiming to the development of a poetic writing, using juggling, acrobatics and music and exploring scenic language as a whole.
With this point of view, the matter of space appeared obvious, on one hand because juggling and acrobatics are tightly linked to it and obey perfectly to its regulating laws and on the other hand because theatre is considered here like the art of space as defined by Oskar Schlemmer himself.
Therefore, the concept of a trilogy about space is imagined declining its dimensions. Three-dimensional space (the volume), two-dimension space (the plane), one-dimension space (the line) become the themes of the three respective episodes IJK, Plan B and More or less infinity.
That way, the fact is to question the relationship between man and space, from its more daily form until its conquest. Imagined as a poem in which the addition of simple forms produces, by layers, a complex structure, the trilogy suggests to the spectator’s imagination to proceed with ideas associations, recognition or projections of their own references and experience of today’s world. This flow of sensations becomes movement of thought. The elsewhere is in the core of our relation to space whose quest is endless, in loop, vain. Trilogy seems to be this: three dimensions, three elsewhere and three impossibilities.
The creation process
The creation process is divided into three steps: conception, research and staging.
The conception relies in a great part on a scenographical principle: the scenery, here subject, is always in movement, it can be manipulated and transformed. It is the starting point of creation and remains the centre and even the first character of each episode.
Once conception is established, research is carried out by all the creation team. Added to the matter created by actors, come the writing of light and the music composition, alive or electronic music. This team work leaves its marks on our aesthetic. The three spectacles try to weave links between all arts which can exist on stage.
Finally, the trilogy is also the story of a strong meeting with Phil Soltanoff, from New-York who signs the direction of Plan B and More or less infinity.
In the idea of hybrid art developed in our research, the influences are numerous: in contemporaneous art, in cinema, in music, in painting. Movements of the twenties, as constructivism or Bauhaus, have been and still remain precious references.
Aurélien Bory
History
CIE 111 is created in 1999 by Aurélien Bory and Olivier Alenda, quickly joined by Stéphane Ley and Arno Veyrat. Afterwards, boosted by Aurélien Bory, they proposed to other artists, actors, directors, technicians, intervening parties, to integrate the artistic collaboration process proper to the trilogy.
The Board
The board 111 is presently composed of
Aurélien Bory, artistic director
Florence Meurisse, administrator of production
Delphine Justumus, administration assistant and in charge of logistics