[Avignon Off 18] Review of "Cabaret du Poilu", at the Théâtre du Cabestan

The Compagnie Sans Lézard presents at the Avignon Festival a musical show on the war of 14, Le Cabaret du Poilu. To discover at the Théâtre du Cabestan.

"Will we ever learn… »

A cabaret set, the belle époque, life is beautiful, carefree, light, 6 actors, 3 women and 3 men, musicians start the famous and wriggling song Viens Poupoule. The news falls like a cleaver: Sarajevo attack, general mobilization. The world turns into horror, ordinary citizens become soldiers and leave for the front with a single watchword: VICTORY.

How to retrace this sinister period in songs? There have been so many written anonymously or not, admitted or forbidden. In the trenches, in the guts, the soldiers sang to keep their spirits up and continue to hope… Civilians also sang and for the same reasons.

Patriotic songs, songs of pain, narrative songs, propaganda songs, love songs, death songs, which are all crossed comments on the life of each of the actors of this period of history.
The company, Chansons en Barre, has the feat of uniting valiant pieces of music dating from the Great War with a few contemporary songs in the same vein.

In this place that does not incite gloom, Hélène Morguen, Yamina Abdous and Hélène Lailheugue sing and play in an alert tone sadness, fear, love, hope, the fate of women war godmothers, cottes, workers in factories or in the fields. Let us quote La môme aux poilus, Les tourneuses d'obus, Dans les trenches de Lagny, Les marmites, La Madelon, Louise – who will shed a tear – not to mention La chanson de Craonne etc. What a wonderful peaceful idea to perform a bilingual German/French song!

As if to taunt the dramatic destiny that is played out at all levels, the 6 actors give us an account of the events that took place then. No direct presentation of the chronology of events but each in turn they become presenter or announcer of the news. The music masterfully performed by Olivier Le Gall, Romain Lefrançois and Nicolas Fageot and Hélène Lailheugue underlines with delicacy and distinction the same feelings that are so well rendered by the elegant, facetious, serious, moving, expressive and touching playing that Laurence Causse has been able to highlight so well.

The radiant and elegant costumes contribute to the good mood and dynamism of the different paintings.
The viewer goes from laughter to hatred through moments of emotion, sweetness, revolt and fear. The show opens with an international humanitarianism: "Will we learn one day, will we ever learn…", so much current hope of tomorrow that sings.

Show to see without any hesitation!

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
: Compagnie Sans Lézard
Théâtre du Cabestan
11 rue du Collège de la Croix, Avignon 84000 At 12h05
Duration: 1h25