The work
of Héléna Garric, dancer, and choreographer of COMPAGNIE LE G, opened the final two days of the week-long marathon of La Semaine de la
Danse at the Lavoir Moderne Parisien with 1,2,3 GAINS’BAR.
The work presented a Musical Danse Theatre salute, to the iconoclastic French singer Serge Gainsbourg, encapsuling his career, in three periods of
his ever-feverish trend setting and following development, with Garric’s musical dance concept, namely: “Rive gauche,” “Les Muses,” and “Gainsbarre.”
The artists: Nicolas Toussaint (Serge Gainsbourg), Roxane Errin (Juliette Gréco), Nicolas
Retabi (Clyde), Justine Gérard (Jane Birkin), Maïwenn Bramoullé (Brigitte Bardot), and Timour
Aydogan (Boris Vian) interpretated Gainsbourg’s persona, and epoch with grace and verve.
The choreography evoked: Bob Fosse style moves, Geoffrey Holder type singing presentation, mixed with an Alvin Ailey folkloric touch, all warped up in a package well suited to a Ronny Louis Las
Vegas Lounge Review.
Garric has a potential Midas touch for American production values, using a down home French touch, adapted to French chic trendiness, ready for prepackaging for selling to a thirsty foreign
market. However, this is not to deprecate in any manner Garric’s merited art, nevertheless her work is atypical of the French contemporary danse milieu.
The dancing content is powerful and performed with stunning technicality, at times coy, peppered with French chic, tartish, caustic gestures suited to the feminine characters, and hard driving
virility on the part of the male contingent, palatable for a palpating reception from a decerning, appreciative public.
A special kudos to Toussaint, a modest artist, whose compelling stage presence, enthralls an enraptured audience: deep baritone singing, partnering with assurance,
extravagant dancing, and floor work all point to a distinguished career.
The performance ends with a fist raised salute well suited to the guts of Garric’s artistic intentions.
A not to be missed rendition of the underlaying soul of Gainsbourg Mania!
PKO
LIEU - LAVOIR MODERNE PARISIEN 26 - 27 mai,
2023
Date line: Saturday the 27th of May, 2023
