CUIR

In a powerful body-to-body confrontation, two men weared with equestrian harnesses play at manipulating each other’s bodies. The cautious pleasure they take in transforming each other into an instrument, an apparatus, a playground or a battlefield engages them in a struggle with mutual consent. Between traction and attraction, they do not aim for power over the other, but rather  power with the other. One may want to subordinate the other, to force him to follow, to impose a situation on him, but the other may also be in a state of acceptance, in a willingness to follow this obligation. Both men then enjoy their positions, with consent, without any hierarchy.

The origins of the circus company Un Loup pour l’Homme lie in the encounter between two acrobats, the French carrier Alexandre Fray (CNAC – National Centre for Circus Arts, Châlons-en-Champagne) and the flying acrobat Frédéric Arsenault from Quebec (National Circus School, Montreal). Having performed more than 500 shows, the company has earned international renown. Its first piece, Appris par corps, garnered the European Young Circus Talents Award (2007). In Grand mère (2006) and Face Nord (2011), they reflect on the relations with the elderly and on childhood games respectively. Through its approach of acrobatic hand to hand balancing, aims at defending a vision of humanity made up of social individuals, as different as they are dependent from each other.

Creators and performers: Arno Ferrera, Mika Lafforgue / Artistic direction: Arno Ferrera / External eye: Paola Rizza / Choreographic eye: Benjamin Kahn / Sound adviser: Amaury Vanderborght / Light designer: Florent Blanchon / Light and sound technician: Pierre-Jean Faggiani / Saddler: Jara Buschhoff / Costumes design: Jennifer Defays / Administration, production, booking: Caroline Cardoso, Lou Henry, Anaïs Longiéras / Creation support: Anaïs Longiéras / Press relations: Estelle Laurentin / Video: Romain Vennekens / Photography: Valérie Frossard / Graphic design: Ekta / Production: Un loup pour l’homme

With complicity of: Alexandre Fray / Coproduction: Le Bateau Feu, SN Dunkerque (FR), Theater op De Markt, Neerpelt (BE), Larural, Créon (FR), Perspectives Sarrebruck (DE).Support : Conseil Régional Hauts-de-France, SACD / Processus Cirque,  Fonds Transfabrik (fonds franco-allemand pour le spectacle vivant) / Un loup pour l’homme is supported by: French  Ministry of Culture / Direction régionale des affaires culturelles Hauts-de-France / Un loup pour l’homme is member of: FILAGE (Lille, FR)