In 2015, Christian Hecq, sociétaire, and Valerie Lesort took on the challenge of creating a show for actors and puppets with 20,000 Leagues under the Sea. Six actors from the Troupe learned the art of puppetry in order to give life to the crew of the Nautilus and the deep sea world around it. By turns playing characters on stage or operating puppets while hidden in its dark depths, the actors take us on board the Nautilus, the legendary vessel that is equal parts sea monster and high-tech machine. Using the principle of black light theatre, jellyfish and fish seem to float in a world where sunlight never penetrates. “On stage, a puppet enables an actor to perform movements, expressions and accelerations that his or her body is incapable of performing; it extends and multiplies physical expression. I often speak of ‘dynamo-rhythm’, about the ability to reproduce a creature’s dynamics. Here, for the fish, it’s a mixture of fast and slow movements executed in a seemingly random manner. It is a spectacle of images in which fish can provide some stiff competition for the actors!” explains Christian Hecq.
All the poetry and fantasy of the work of Jules Verne are found in this round-the-world voyage across the oceans on which children of all ages are delighted to embark.

Adaptation et mise en scène : Christian Hecq et Valérie Lesort
Scénographie et costumes : Éric Ruf
Lumières : Pascal Laajili
Son : Dominique Bataille
Création des marionnettes : Carole Allemand et Valérie Lesort
Assistante à la scénographie : Delphine Sainte-Marie
Assistanat aux costumes : Siegrid Petit-Imbert

and with
Thomas Guerry : le Sauvage et manipulation de marionnettes