Olivier Martin-Salvan & Pierre Guillois
THE ICE HOLE
Olivier Martin-Salvan & Pierre Guillois
THE ICE HOLE
A cardboard comedy
Duration 1H15
Type
Comedy · Theatre
Audience
All ages
The absurd journey of a man who, without ever moving, crosses Europe and will probably make it around the
world with the help of his companion.
An imposing Shakespearian actor tells (in incomprehensible English, even to an inhabitant of Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564) of one man’s (his ancestor, perhaps?) incredible centuries-long journey through Europe; a man who, by the banks of a fjord in the remote Faroe Islands (in a particular year which has probably long since been forgotten) is cursed by a mermaid he’d absent-mindedly caught in frozen (yet salty) waters under the paradoxically wonderful auspices of the Northern Lights, which were bejewelled, at that very moment, by a late flight of cranes on their way to Africa.
The actor (of undeniably large proportions) is accompanied by a flunky (a stage manager or supporting actor) whose competence is certainly questionable and who is as puny as his companion is portly; who strives (half naked, poor man) for more than one hour, with the help of hastily-scribbled cardboard signs and other boxes (all cardboard and of varying quality), to help us understand the meaning of this journey, which no-one would describe as a maiden voyage, but whose symbolism has been so well-digested over the years that all that remains of this long circumnavigation is the impression of a pointless search for happiness that this over-satisfied gentleman was clearly never going to attain.
Created by
Olivier Martin-Salvan & Pierre Guillois
Starring
Olivier Martin-Salvan in rotation with Jonathan Pinto-Rocha, Didier Boulle, and Pierre Delage
Pierre Guillois in rotation in Félix Villemur, Clément Deboeur, Alexandre Barbe, and Maël Besnard
Technical Director
Colin Plancher assisted by Emilie Poitaux
Cardboard Designer
Charlotte Rodière
Prop Manager
Emilie Poitaux
Sound Designer
Loïc Le Cadre
Costume adviser
Coco Petitpierre
Tour Assistant
Thylda Barès
Production Management
Colin Plancher alternating with Jérôme Pérez-Lopez, Cyril Chardonnet, and Grégoire Plancher
Stage Management
Émilie Poitaux alternating with Elvire Tapie, Lorraine Kerlo Aurégan, Eve Esquenet, Cécile Jaillard, and Jeanne Gloux Van Geel
Administrator
Sophie Perre assisted by Fanny Landemaine
Production Manager
Margaux du Pontavice
Production
Compagnie Le Fils du Grand Réseau
Co-production
Ki M'Aime Me Suive | Le Quartz – Scène nationale de Brest | Carré du Rond-Point | Le Quai - CDN Angers Pays de la Loire | Tsen Productions | CDN de Normandie – Rouen | Le Moulin du Roc, National Theater in Niort | Comédie de Picardie |CPPC - Théâtre l’Aire Libre
Funding
City of Brest | Brittany Region | SACD Humor/One-Man Show Fund | Le Centquatre – Paris | Théâtre Sénart, National Theater
Thanks to
Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord, Espace Carpeaux – Courbevoie | Théâtre des Quartiers d’Ivry – CDN du Val-de-Marne | Malakoff Scène Nationale
Booking
Quartier Libre
Gallery
Press
NEW YORK TIMES
"Serious theatre magic."
LES INROCKUPTIBLES
"This show renders wordless tribute to the burlesque of silent cinema and the gags of slapstick. Irresistible."
LE MONDE
“[…] This cartoonish, over-the top show, with its shoestring-budget props and unbridled imagination, has a comforting quality in our over-technological, consumerist times […]”
TELERAMA
“A devilishly virtuoso cabaret.
BRITISH THEATRE GUIDE
"An absolute piece of comic genius… Don’t miss this superb show."
2022 MOLIERE WINNER
For Best Show in a National Theatre
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