For all audiences, 12 years and older French or Spanish 50 minutes Available for touring

Kiwi

A young couple has unpacked before our eyes a chaotic jumble of objects: household goods and old-fashioned toys. In the middle of all those derisive items, theater materializes itself. The hands of the characters, surmounted by dolls’ heads are enough to impose upon the audience the presence of the characters. We are met with two abandoned adolescents struggling for survival. These resilient heroes, named Kiwi and Litchi, tell us their emotional story in the manner of a captivating “Road Theatre” presentation. The two characters have for each other an infinite tenderness that shines a light on their existence. Their relationship appears to the audience as an important lesson of solidarity because despite all the suffering we endure in this world, the birds in the sky are a promise that something more beautiful awaits us elsewhere.

Prix Chagall Award, for the best avant-garde show, Festival Spectaculo Interesse, Czech Republic

Prix Théâtre Abitibi-Bowater for the best stage play, Salon du livre SLSJ, Canada

Prix Louise-Lahaye for the best stage play, Centre des Auteurs Dramatiques, Canada

CREATIVE TEAM

Stage Play, Daniel Danis
Director, Guylaine Rivard
Manipulations and Starring, Dany Lefrançois et Sara Moisan
Sound Design , Michel Côté
Set Design, Martin Gagnon
Costume Design, Sara Moisan
Lighting Design, Isabeau Côté
L’Arche is the editor and theatrical agent of the presented stage play, http://www.arche-editeur.com

Extracts from press reviews

« A very touching poetry emanates from both the direction and the performances. There are numerous ingenious and clever details which help build, in a very effective manner, the imaginary world of the play all the while remaining true to the contemporary writing of playwright Daniel Danis. On a personal level, watching Kiwi was for me not only a very emotional moment, but also an opportunity to discover the impressive and uncommon work of this Quebec company. »- LE MONDE, Cristina Marino, France
« Kiwi manages to simultaneously be very small and immense, fragile and strong, like a child dreaming that he will one day have a stone house that will protect his small world. Through this play, La Tortue Noire brings to the surface, in the most delicate manner, things we thought we had forgotten as we became adults but that are in fact still there, resting deeply inside each and every single one of us .»- LA CHAMBRE D’ALBERTINE, Audrey Santacroce, France
« The exchange between the performances and the manipulations adds another dimension to this already lively and poetic text from the Quebec playwright. Simultaneously, the set is built little by little, before our very eyes, with objects whose symbolic is only revealed as the play moves forward. As original as it is remarkable. » - TOUTE LA CULTURE, Mathieu Dochtermann, France
« The experimental theatre performance of Kiwi is definitely my favorite… The show conquered the vast majority of the audience with its ability to engage with the public, with the simplicity of the set design and the incredible dedication of the actors to their characters… I have no doubt that the audience would also give an award to Kiwi for the humble and convincing performances the actors delivered » – REVUE LOUTKAR, Nina Malìkovà, République tchèque
« La Tortue Noire shares with us the story of Kiwi by mixing acting and manipulation of objects. With the help of small doll heads, the hands are often brilliantly used to represent numerous characters that evolve around the table and around the set. The clothes and the assortment of objects destined to potential buyers slowly become an important part of the dramatic action that is brought to us in a very astute manner. […] The different places, characters or the lighting appear as rather simplistic and disorganized, but they are in fact ingeniously thought of and prepared which allows the show to adequately present the chaotic world of Kiwi, Litchi and their friends. The manipulations are precise and the performances are rhythmical as Dany Lefrançois and Sara Moisan prove to be an excellent team. Guylaine Rivard’s direction is fluid and its economy of means leaves room for great inventiveness. Let’s hope that everyone in the province will have an opportunity to witness this production as it is a solid demonstration of acting, puppet theater and object theater. » -REVUE DE THÉÂTRE JEU, Françoise Boudreault, Canada
« Portrayed by Sara Moisan and Dany Lefrançois, the characters of Kiwi and Litchi quickly adopt the actors’ features, even though they only exist through dolls’ heads that are skillfully manipulated by the actors’ fingers. We easily travel from one dimension to another and we are fully engaged when the actors and puppeteers use objects such as gun toys, beer or wine bottles, a Monopoly board or the head of a figurine to describe a portion of their history. All of that is certainly remarkable, but the icing on the cake is undeniably Sara Moisan’s broken voice and her brilliant and disturbingly realistic performance. Through her hesitations, we can feel the way her words are cut in half, the fear in her eyes, but mostly, we can sense how hurt, fragile and on the verge of breaking her character is. With terrific support from her co-star, who delivers beautifully all different nuances in Litchi’s rage and desperation, Sara Moisan shows that in theater, there is no artifice, no matter how sophisticated it might be, that can replace the evocative power of an actor who is in total control of his performance » - JOURNAL LE QUOTIDIEN, Daniel Côté, Canada
«It is hard to summarize in a few lines all the richness and the originality contained in this show as it is the product of extreme virtuosity and precision both in the manipulation of objects and the stage adaptation (led by Guylaine Rivard) of a text that tackles themes such as infantile prostitution or drug abuse head-on… Despite the toughness and the violence of these kids’ dramatic story, the direction and the performances are filled with great poetry. There are numerous ingenious and clever details which help build, in a very effective manner, the imaginary world of the play all the while remaining true to the contemporary writing of playwright Daniel Danis. On a personal level, watching Kiwi was for me not only a very emotional moment, but also an opportunity to discover the impressive and uncommon work of this Quebec company»- LE MONDE, Cristina Marino, France

Presentation History

2023

Musée théâtre Guignol, Brindas, France
2022

Centre d’Expérimentation musicale, Saguenay, Canada
2020

Mouffetard théâtre des arts de la marionnette, Paris, France
2017

Théâtre des Malassis, Bagnolet, France
Théâtre Atalante, Paris, France
Théâtre Roublot, Fontenay-sous-Bois, France
2016

La Maison Théâtre, Montréal, Canada
Studio théâtre de l’UQAC, Saguenay, Canada
2015

Théâtre La Girandole, Montreuil, France
Festival Novado, Rodez, France
Salle des fêtes, Sainte-Affrique, France
MJC du Pont des Demoiselles, Toulouse, France
Festival Marionnettissimo, Tournefeuille, France
2014

Petit théâtre de l’UQAC, Saguenay, Canada
L’Archipel, Granville, France
Champilambart, Vallet, France
Scène de Pays dans les Mauges, Beaupréau, France
Jardin de Verre, Cholet, France
Centre Athanor, Guérande, France
Théâtre de l’Espace de Retz, Machecoul, France
Service Culturel, Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron, France
Halle du centre culturel, Cestas, France
Centre Simone Signoret, Canejan, France
Hall de Paris, Moissac, France
Espace Culturel Paul Guimard, St-Mars-la-Jaille, France
Piano’cktail, Bouguenais, France
2013

Château des Adhémar, Montélimar, France
MJC Callone, Sedan, France
Festival Méli-Môme, Reims, France
Espace culturel de Fismes, Fismes, France
Maison des arts et loisirs, Laon, France
Théâtre Français du Centre national des arts, Ottawa, Canada
Festival Ré-génération, Lyon, France
2012

Festival de théâtre FAIT, Assomption, Canada
Festival Le Chaînon manquant, Laval, France
Auberge de l’Île-du-repos, Péribonka, Canada
Théâtre Léonard-Saint-Laurent, Sherbrooke, Canada
Bourse Rideau, Québec, Canada
2011

Réseau Accès-culture, Montréal, Canada
Théâtre La Capilla, Mexico D.F., Mexique
Festival international Festin de los Munecos, Guadalajara, Mexique
Auditorium Fernand-Bilodeau, Roberval, Canada
2010

Théâtre La Rubrique, Jonquière, Canada
Festival de théâtre de rue de Lachine, Montréal, Canada
Théâtre Les Gros Becs, Québec, Canada
Flashe Fête, Alma, Canada
2009

Festival international Spectaculo Interesse, Ostrava, République Tchèque
2008

Festival international des arts de la marionnette (FIAMS), Saguenay, Canada
2007

Festival La Luna è Azzurra, San Miniato, Italie

Partners

For their support during the creation of this play, La Tortue Noire would like to thank the Festival International des Arts de la Marionnette à Saguenay (FIAMS), the Festival La Luna à Azzurra, the City of Saguenay, the Fondation Timi, the Jeunes Volontaire, the Conférence Régionale des élus and the Caisse Desjardins.