Nosferatu - "Dracula"

Presented by: Bob Theatre

Country of Origin: Rennes, France

Description:

Nosferatu, an original adaptation of the Dracula story by Bob Theatre, derives its inspiration from a variety of sources. Chief among them are Bram Stoker's Dracula and a variety of vampire movies. Bob Theatre's production tells the familiar story of a young clerk who travels late one night to the castle of a mysterious count in Transylvania's Carpathian Mountains. He wakes the next morning with fresh wounds on his neck, and the story's events unfold from there. While the production does indeed tell the familiar vampire story, humor is as much a part of this production as suspense. The two-person production uses various objects - from light bulbs to coffee grinders - as puppets. They do magic tricks. They caricature famous characters from assorted vampire movies and also play off familiar cliches from such movies - such as ominously exaggerated violin and xylophone music at moments of high drama. As expressed by Montreal's Le Devoir, Bob Theatre "creates a climate where laughter, horror and derision compete in front of the audience" and leaves them "squirm[ing] with pleasure."

Company Bio:

In 1998 Bob Theatre was founded by "Bob," a.k.a Denis Athimon, who followed an atypical course to arrive at his performing career. Rather than formal study in acting or theater design, his path to theater came through work as a lighting installer at the Theatre Lillico, housed at the Center Culturel Le Rallye in Rennes. This one-time plumber, conscientious objector, and history student became bitten by the acting bug upon discovering the world of theater for young people. Before founding his own company, Athimon also worked for the Bouffou Theatre in Hennebont as a lighting designer and then street performer.

Athimon describes himself as a "whole actor" who devotes his energy to telling diverting stories and giving form to unconventional achievements. His first production, Du Balai, premiered in 1998 at the Marmaille Festival in Rennes, which brings together artists from throughout France. In 2002 he created Hans et Greutel, his own take on the famous Brothers Grimm fairy tale. Nosferatu followed in 2003. For Nosferatu, Athimon collaborated with Julien Mellano of Company Aie Aie Aie, who is a filmmaker, designer, sculptor, director, actor and puppeteer. They have performed Nosferatu at festivals and theaters throughout France and abroad.
Bob Theatre is currently in residence at the Theatre Lillico in Rennes.

For more information, visit their website

Supported in part by Etant donnés: The French-American Fund for the Performing Arts, a program of FACE (French American Cultural Exchange)