Cie Troisième Génération

• 2009
• France

Often associated with Marcel Marceau, mime is still misunderstood and written off as a marginal art form: an art somewhere in the same league as pantomime, or else (at the other end of the scale) a form of pure abstraction. Compagnie Troisième is devoted to exploring the innately theatrical dimension of this unique art form, through the medium of their collective, contemporary creations. In the theatre of movement (a universal, truly popular language), the actors are at the very heart of the creative process, their bodies becoming canvases for artistic expression. Bodies which encapsulate the conflicts, contradictions and secrets of each character, for whom the actors act as conduits. Mime is an art form which never ceases to unite, excite and frustrate these performers. Hence their commitment to working together to sculpt a choral, visual, rhythmic and passionate theatrical vision, exploring any and all creative avenues which help to put the actor back at the very centre of the stage. Their desire to depict, rearticulate and play with the world has led them to explore countless creative possibilities, from the streets to the stage. They draw upon various influence, including mime, film and dreams, but first and foremost they remain inspired by their observation of the world around them, and the myriad forms that reality may take. Their dramatic writing, staging and performances draw inspiration from the fundamental principles of Modern Mime as imagined by Étienne Decroux, as well as the pioneering work of Stanislavsky and Copeau.