TRANSMISSIONS TO YOUNG AUDIENCES
MECANIkA offers courses and workshops based on shows for young audiences by the company, La queue de monsieur Kat & Pour bien dormir.
THEMES
La queue de monsieur Kat/Mr Kat’s Tail
Just another ordinary day among the birds and a red and white line!
A metaphor for everyday life encompassing traffic jams, work, shopping and home...
The drama is based on unlikely images and encounters, coincidences and the movements of characters, going in one direction. This simple radicality harnesses complexity through a variable acting pace, contrasting atmospheres, a metaphor for living together and the paradoxes of everyday life. Direct identification of certain characters provides entertainment that is mainly, but not only, aimed at young audiences.
Techniques: rod puppets, video, live music
Pour Bien Dormir
When the light goes out, at night, in the children’s bedroom, everything comes to life. Like in a dream, the characters that inhabit our imagination are brought to life. The story unfolds here in a funny and poetic interplay confronting these age-old fears.
Techniques: shadows, video, electronic music
The company’s performances for young people often end with meeting the audience. It’s a rare opportunity to answer questions regarding shows, techniques, demonstrations and sharing experiences as a member of the audience.
© Paulo Duarte | © Véronique Gomez
SHORT COURSES
Sound siesta
Length: approx. 30 minutes
Participants: anyone over the age of 4
Facilitator: Morgan Daguenet
A sensory adventure to experience together before shows. Either sitting or lying comfortably, parents and children are invited to listen, with their eyes either open or closed, to musical creations played live by Morgan Daguenet.
Creating a character
Length: 3-hour course maximum
Participants: children and children/parents
Facilitators: Tjalling Houkema and Paulo Duarte
Draw a character from the world of performance.
The drawing is placed on a more rigid support (card) separating the limbs.
The character is articulated, and rods are added to operate with rods or using shadows. For the latter, there will be a screen and adequate sources of light to facilitate viewing at the end of the workshop.
Introduction to operating and designing characters
Length: 3 to 6-hour workshop
Participants: children over the age of 4 with parents
Facilitator: Paulo Duarte
Live demonstrations of characters from shows.
Introduction to basic operation with simple objects and games based on staying still while operating a puppet.
LONG-TERM COURSES
Version 1
Construction, operation and performing
Length: over 15 hours
Participants: children over the age of 7 (between 6 and 12 participants)
Facilitator: Paulo Duarte or Paulo Duarte and Tjalling Houkema
Live demonstrations of characters from shows.
Introduction to making puppets from paper, adhesive tape and rods.
Basic operation and performing
Group work to create small scenes. The characters are grouped according to their visual affinity.
Final presentation!
Version 2
Puppet and sound, live demonstrations of characters from shows
Length: over 15 hours
Participants: children over the age of 7 (minimum 8 participants – maximum 16 participants)
Facilitators: Paulo Duarte and Morgan Daguenet
The group is divided into two.
Group A:
Development of characters with simple materials/ paper /adhesive tape /recycling materials (depending on what the venue permits)
Basic operation
Group B:
Construction of basic synthesisers with materials provided by the company.
Sound experimentation
Sound recordings in the vicinity of the venue and outside
Change of group…
Once all the participants have had the same experience (group A and B), two new groups are chosen according to preference for a joint creation.
Group A – acting with puppets
Group B – world of sound
According to the number of participants several small scenes can be envisaged, with electronic musicians and entertainers.
Final presentation!
CORRESPONDENCE ACTIVITY AROUND POUR BIEN DORMIR
There will be a cultural activity via postcard correspondence to tie in with Pour Bien Dormir (première in November 2020)…
Recipients may be classes, first book clubs, activity centres, etc.
To exchange correspondence, we plan to ask children to solve riddles, depending on the themes of the project. Certain characters will appear on the postcards via questions about their origins and purpose... The participants will therefore be involved in research revolving around drama.
The results of such exchanges may be shown in the form of an exhibition.
According to the instructions regarding answers, it is also possible to guide the children to design and construct shadow silhouettes that will be subsequently assembled in the shape of a mobile.