A film-crew in the early twentieth century, the cabaret known as ‘Le Fol Espoir’ has been transformed into an amateur soundstage. The motion picture tells the story of a ship and its passengers – from the famous opera singer down to the petty criminal. The film is an optimistic political fable intended to educate the masses. There’s comedy aplenty – slapstick punches, custard pies and gags reminiscent of Buster Keaton and Fatty Arbuckle; there’s adventure, high drama moments of great bravura , and passionate love stories. The filming begins on June 28th 1914, the day of the Archiduke Franz Ferdinand’s assassination in Sarajevo, the gunpowder that sets Europe alight. It ends with news of another assassination – that of Jean Jaures on July 31st followed by the general conscription of August 1st, heralded by church bells across France. The allegory of the shipwreck is filmed at breakneck pace during the last five weeks before war breaks out.

ARIANE MNOUCHKINE’S FILM Tambours sur la Digue is a cinematographic transposition of her production performed by the Théâtre du Soleil troupe at the Cartoucherie theatre complex. This transition from theatre to film creates an additional story within a story, especially since it is about a dramatic work itself performed using a juxtaposition of theatrical forms and different levels of meaning and perception. The political and philosophical tale conjured up by Hélène Cixous takes place in a legendary, ancient China. The inhabitants are faced with a massive threat, a devastating flood that could wash away the city’s protective dykes. From prince to beggar, the imminent disaster brings out in everyone a moment of truth where the nature and character of human beings is revealed, where, in the face of doom, a pell-mell of sacrifice, wisdom, courage and cowardice, selfless commitment to saving the community, megalomania and personal interests all jostle and collide.
These comic and poetic “living dolls” create a striking break with reality, intensifying the impact as the audience is plunged into a disturbingly strange world.
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影片《堤霸上的鼓手》是亞里安娜．穆西金把她導演的同名劇作轉成電影。 戲劇是由太陽劇場演出。
這個有關政治和哲學的故事由 Hélène Cixous 創作，是發生在古代傳說中的中國。居民將面對一個嚴重的災難：一場大水將會衝破保護整個城市的堤霸。而因為這場即將來臨的災難，每一個人，由王子到乞丐都要面對人性真實的一面。
在這齣劇作中，導演亞里安娜．穆西金選擇由真人模仿日本人形淨琉璃。每個人偶背後有一名穿黑衣的操偶師控制。這些活生生的 “ 人形公仔 ” 為戲劇營造了一種脫離現實的感覺，加強了故事的震撼性，觀眾被帶進一個奇異的世界中。