“A little tree descends from flies, lands. It has a single bough some three yards from ground and at its summit a meagre tuft of palms casting at its foot a circle of shadow. He continues to reflect. Whistle from above“.
Samuel Beckett, Act Without Words I

“Je. Sans. Paroles” is a solo performance inspired by "Act Without Words I" originally written in French (Acte sans paroles) by Samuel Beckett in 1956.
A man falls into a desert and can’t escape. It seems he is expelled from a womb-like condition, and there he struggles with his relationship to objects in the desert (cubes, carafe of water, palm tree, a knotted rope and scissors). He feels manipulated, out of control, but always compelled to go on with the game.

“Je. Sans. Paroles” is a dance and video performance that translates the absurdity of an environment that cannot be understood, a fascinating world where the borders between reality and imagination, logic and surrealism, seriousness and humour are permanently moving. What is the goal of the game? Who is playing? Who is acting and who is observing? The edge of the stage is vanishing, the audience could be God, the performer a victim or the manipulator.

Exploring the connections between media and bodily expression, “Je. Sans. Paroles” incorporates live interaction between dancer and video art installation to investigate the intersection of the living body and the virtual world.

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Music Helmut Lachenmann, Reigen Seliger Geister
Choreography/Dance Shang-Chi Sun
Animation/program Yoann Trellu
Scenic Design Anita Fuchs
Light Hans Fründt
Duration 35 minutes

A co-production with Le Manege/Scene Nationale de Maubeuge

Theater LOFFt Leipzig

Centre Cultural de Taiwan a Paris

La Gare Numerique Jeumont

The production is made possible by a grand from the Lo Man-Fei dance Fund, Cloud Gate Dance Foundation, Taiwan.