Sunday, April 2 – 5:30 p.m. • All Audiences • In French with English sur-titles
MEC! – A special Exclusive North American Première live performance on stage
Texts of poet Allain Leprest, interpreted by award winning stage and screen actor Philippe Torreton with renown percussionist Edward Perraud.
MEC! – Live performance at the Byrd Theatre
Philippe TORRETON, recognized as best theater actor (Prix Gérard Philipe) in 1996, and again in 2014 with a Molière for Best Theater Comedian, recipient of the César for best actor in a film in 1997, elected best stage actor 2013 with the Prix Beaumarchais, is unquestionably one of the greatest French acting performers of the past 25 years. He alternates with success between theater, cinema, and television. He offers us, with percussionist Edward Perraud a true symbiosis, a synergy of “words and music”.
The performance wil be in French with English sur-titles.
At the beginning, there is the proposition of producer Jean René Pouilly who wanted to see and hear me say Allain Leprest’s texts on stage. We talked together and I discovered that Jean-René was the first producer who saw Allain’s immense talent, and wanted it to be recognized. Our common desire was not for me to sing in Allain’s place –some do that very well, some less–, but to make the poetic intensity of his texts known: to say some “Leprest” as one says some “Rimbaud”, for the writing itself. For even if his texts bring to life street faces, children miseries and skirted happiness, they are not actually skits; I did not want to tackle them head-on, but soul-on.
And then, since I do not like to be alone on stage and I wanted the music to be present after all, I thought of a duo for this recital. But I did not wish to be “accompanied” nor “supported”: I was dreaming of a musician who would also read Allain’s texts, his own way.I called Edward Perraud, and without knowing it, I came upon a man deeply moved by Allain Lespret’s work and by his recent passing. Edward is a genial percussionist, a poet of sound, a researcher and a go-getter. On stage, we hold a dialog, we are united and free as jazz asks for, and that freedom clings well to Allain’s texts.
Philippe Torreton
Exclusive U.S Tour of MEC!
You can also buy tickets for Washington DC and New York City performances
Maison Française – French Embassy
April 4, 2017 at 7:00p.m.
Symphony Space
April 6, 2017 at 7:00 p.m.
About actor Philippe Torreton
Philippe Torreton entered the Comédie-Française in 1990. Noticed by film director Bertrand Tavernier, he played in numerous Tavernier films: L.627 in 1992, Capitaine Conan for which he won the César Award for Best Actor 1997, and Ça commence aujourd’hui, in 1998.
He pursues a triple acting career in theater, television and cinema. With major roles in films as Félix et Lola directed by Patrice Leconte, in 2002; Monsieur N. by Antoine de Caunes, in 2004 ; L’Équipier by Philippe Lioret, in 2005; Les Chevaliers du ciel by Gérard Pirès, he was nominated for the César of Best Actor that same year.
During the 2005-2006 theatrical season, he toured France in the role of Richard III.
In 2007, he held the leading role in Ulzhan directed by Volker Schlöndorff. He launched himself in stage direction while interpreting Dom Juan by Molière.
During the 2012-2014 theatrical seasons, he played the title role in Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand, directed by Dominique Pitoiset and received the Molière for Best Theater Comedian for this part.
As for his cinematic career, he gives an astonishing performance in Présumé coupable by Vincent Garenq and is nominated for the César for Best Film Actor in 2012. He plays also in the film L’Écume des jours by Michel Gondry (2013), La Pièce manquante by Nicolas Birkenstock (2014) and Les Enfants de la chance by Malik Chibane (2106).
During 2016 – 2017, Philippe Torreton is touring France with the play La Résistible Ascension d’Arturo Ui by Bertold Brecht.
About percussionist Edward Perraud
Edward Perraud learned trombone and classical percussion at a very young age. After a master degree in musicology, he pursues a doctoral degree at IRCAM (Cultural Center for Musical Research). Accepted at the CNSM (National Conservatory for Music) in Paris, he receives in 1998 a first prize in musical analysis. His interests and studies in classical and contemporary music, jazz, Hindu music, extra-European music, ethnomusicology, free improvisation, deeply influenced his playing as a percussionist. Founder of the duo BIG with Frederick Gallay (electric bass), he explored the multiple facets of the bass/battery duo: Big drum & bass, Big world, Big Pop.
He has currently more than fifty records to his credits with numerous labels all over the world and created his own in 2005 (Quark-records). In 2008, he created a duo with the singer Elise Caron: “Bitter Sweet” which explores all forms of improvisations. In 2011, he constitute his own group: “Synthetic Trip” which will be unanimously recognized by critics. He has done numerous tours in France and abroad with his favorite bands among then the famous European trio Das Kapital. Artistically versatile, he confronts his music to other disciplines: dance, theater, cinema, circus arts.