Puppet theatre by the Teatro Medico Ipnotico and Teatro Caverna companies

Young Werther and his suffering are part of Western history. Teatro Medico Ipnotico has taken a certain formal risk in creating a free adaptation for puppet theatre, in which the structure of the classic is transposed into a contemporary setting. In this work freely inspired by Die Leiden des Jungen Werthers by J.W. Goethe, puppets are confronted with one of their formal possibilities: the statue. A sparse, raw script, in which the characters inexorably accept their predestination, the movement of the puppets gradually cancelling each other out until they become statues.

Founded in 2009 in Parma (Italy), the Teatro Medico Ipnotico creates theatre and street performances using the language of traditional wooden puppets and the castelet. The company's creative process is based on craftsmanship, the writing of original texts, acting and collaboration with musicians. Its political commitment is to preserve the wild dimension of the work of art and the random nature of the encounter with the audience. At the heart of the «medico-hypnotic» experience is the puppet, evolving in its own autonomous, transportable space: a theatre on a reduced scale called baracca. In the dramaturgy of the shows, the aesthetics and animation of the puppet are often called into question, exploring its affinities and differences with the doll, the inanimate statue, the monument, the toy, the shadow and the character.

Teatro Caverna is both an association for social promotion and an artistic collective based in Bergamo (Italy) since 2002, active in the promotion, creation and dissemination of cultural practices, with a particular focus on the languages of contemporary theatre, the performing arts and training. Over time, it has developed a recognisable artistic identity, focused on experimentation with theatrical languages and dialogue with territories, communities and social fragilities.

Show in Italian with French surtitles

Saturday 4 April at 7.30pm

Bookings : https://www.helloasso.com/associations/espace-magnan/evenements/werther-marionnettes-theatre-samedi-4-avril-19h30

Director: Patrizio Dall'Argine - Puppet making and manipulation, set design and costumes: Patrizio Dall'Argine, Veronica Ambrosini - Sound dramaturgy and lighting design: Damiano Grasselli