Domaine d’O, Montpelier, France
2 – 30 October 2010
As part of Stan’s Cafe’s three year relationship with Domaine d’O the venuecommissioned an edition of The Steps Series for their Ampitheatre. Where betterthan the South of France to attempt the first outdoor edition.
The curved stage with its high black backwall made us think of the surface of themoon and the night sky. The venue’s seasons are programmed by phases of the moonrather than the conventional calander. The Greek style venue, everything pointed towardsApollo Steps.
Three stories of aspiration run in parallel. A young child looks at the moon througha telescope and vows to walk on the moon when they grow up. A child visits a bigconcert for the first time and vows to walk on the stage as a singer. A minor violinistmeets the Prima Ballerina back stage, they flirt and she says one day he will be a soloisttoo.
We follow one story through university and physical training to a rocket launch and settingfoot on the moon. Another child looks at the moon and asks about the man up there. Unseen by manya mouse has done the same journey looking for cheese.
We find the girl at school, playing and singing – she’s the best in the school. We followhere as her band splits up. We see her skim her demo disc to a Manager through a crowd atstage door and catch up with her in the wings as she goes on for her first big concert. Her monther is in the front row.
The musician and dancer marry. She grows frail and they attend a concert together. She dies.He attends her funeral before retaking his place as first violinist in the orchestra. As heplays he sees his wife dancing once again.
Credits
Devised by Simon Ford and James Yarker
With Denise Stanton and Chris Dugrenier
Translation Charlotte Gregory
Soundscape by Nina West
