Babelle et Barbarie

Part theatrical device, part multimedia performance, Babelle et Barbarie focuses on the effects of globalisation.

The title of the work refers to the potential pitfalls of globalisation and intercultural dialogue.

We know that the cultural mix resulting from globalisation can enrich our lives, yet we must also acknowledge that any relationship between a dominant and a more fragile culture can lead to plunder and a contemporary form of colonisation.

As for intercultural dialogue, it naturally involves translation. It's understood that translation requires interpretation and a certain processing of information. While this phenomenon is known to lead to mistranslation, miscommunication and much misunderstanding, it also represents fertile soil from which the seeds of Babelle et Barbarie have grown.

In addition to globalisation and intercultural dialogue, the role of the media is fascinating to us because it pretends to act as a powerful mirror of ourselves; but the ultimate loyalty of the media rests with commercial and economic forces.

So the main axes of our creation are: cross-culturalism, translation and questions of identity.

detachment

discovery

repetition

Exploration

Process

Although the main motivator and director of this project is Dominique Banoun, our approach has always been a collective force merging together to create the final piece. We’re a multigenerational, multilingual and multimedia artist collective that first performed together in a production titled BUS 1.2.3. in Toronto in1992.

Now twenty years later, we are joining forces once again to delve back into the original ideas and rework the piece through the lens of incredible technological and societal changes triggered by Internet culture. The new production is now titled Babelle et Barbarie.

abstraction No 28

Aspects

The question we ask in the piece is very current one:

amidst the chaos of information, how do we, the general public, define ourselves as individuals? 

Babelle et Barbarie explores this question through a multi-disciplinary approach. Our theatrical production thumbs its nose at mass media and social media manipulation by taking on the subject with humour and poetry. Our staging devices include playful, poetic and interactive elements. Five performers (an actress, a singer, a videographer, a musician and a sound artist) explore the performance  space and the themes through choreography, song, text and improvisation.

The technical aspects of the piece were designed by a lighting designer-video programmer and a technical director. The soundtrack is played live on stage using sound objects and prepared instruments. Video also occupies an important place ​in the performance; through the use of video mapping, images appear on various surfaces ranging from wall projections to monitor screens.  

sense of wonder

abstraction No 46

A theatrical creation that’s multilingual, multigenerational and multimedia. Searching for meaning in a globalised media cacophony.

The piece will be presented at the Winchester St. Theatre in Toronto from September 2-5 2015, 8pm

To purchase tickets and/or find out where the theatre is on a map, click here

To view the trailer, click here.

contact: info@collectifbus123.com

cell: 647-260-0603