Invisible Stories - Laurie Cannac - May 08
Invisible Stories
By Laurie Cannac and a team of Bangladeshi artists
Bangladesh, a country impacted by historical events like the partition of 1947 and the war of 1971, possesses a rich thousand-year-old history that explores the connection between humans and the mystical realm. This heritage is preserved through oral traditions which reflect the present world, historical disruptions, and the fragile unity of Bengali culture.
In her immersive experience in Bangladesh, including workshops, meetings, and the Faim de loup show, Laurie Cannac encountered Bangladeshi stories and artists, deeply moved by their resilient positivity. Inspired by this, she aims to showcase their vitality, humor, and adaptability in a unique production called Invisible Stories. Drawing from the diverse oral traditions that encompass all religious communities, ghost stories, and other supernatural elements, Laurie has formed a team of three versatile actors-dancers-singers to create this multidisciplinary project.
Through a collection of traditional Bengali ghost stories, the artists will reimagine Dhaka, their city-megalopolis, by submerging it in a surreal and dreamlike world. This creative process aims to find explanations for the city’s challenges, such as its notorious traffic, by attributing them to the rural exodus of tree ghosts. The coexistence of the ancient and modern will be portrayed as walls supported by specialized ectoplasm.
Furthermore, the production will allude to historical ghosts, like ghost trains inspired by the tragic passengers of the 1947 convoys. Additionally, the exploration of personal ghosts, intertwined with Jung’s collective unconscious, will add depth to the relationships between the characters. The technical aspects of the production will emphasize the representation of the invisible through various means, including play, movement, objects, and body puppetry.
Calendar of the production and activities:
1️⃣ In October 2022, a workshop held, and a number of selected Bangladeshi artists participated after workshop at “Wolfed down” event staged at Shilpakala.
2️⃣ From June to September 2023, Laurie had invited a young puppeteer named Summi to participate in various workshops and festivals in France.
3️⃣ On March 8, 2024, Summi and her puppet group will perform at Alliance francaise.
4️⃣ In April 2024, the performances of “Wolfed down” will take place at Shilpakala, Dhaka, Bangladesh and in India.
5️⃣ Rehearsals for “Invisible Stories” will be held in May / June 2024.
6️⃣ In July 2024, Invisible Stories will be showcased at Shilpakala.
7️⃣ Following that, European Tour will be organized.
Laurie Cannac
Laurie Cannac
Laurie Cannac is a solo puppeteer, who acquired her basic training at the Théâtre-Ecole du Passage of Niels Arestrup and Alexandre del Perugia, and completed it, on the advice of the latter, by going to learn her trade as a puppeteer in the street, in direct contact with the public.
In 1997, she founded the Graine de Vie company to offer a very physical puppet theater, full of energy, emotions and surprises, which continually questions the puppet and its relationship with the actor-manipulator to mix them in a poetic universe.
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Workshop organized in October 2022
'Wolfed Down' a theatrical performance by Laurie Cannac; Staged at Shilpakala Academy on October 2023
‘Wolfed Down’ a theatrical performance by Laurie Cannac; Staged at Shilpakala Academy on October 2023
Press coverage of “Wolfed Down” a theatrical performance by Laurie Cannac; Staged at Shilpakala Academy on October 2023
Credit: The Business Standard