Event

Interview with Vincent Berhault
Vice-President of Territoires de Cirque
Director of La Maison des Jonglages

This 6th edition of La Nuit du Cirque organized by the Territoires de Cirque will see a continuation of the dynamic growth the event has enjoyed since its creation in 2019. There has been an increasing number of participating venues and performances, not only in France but also internationally. This is especially impressive considering the current economic and political climate. Does this mean the creative circus is immune to the vagaries of our times?

The vast nature of La Nuit du Cirque, which for the fourth year in a row will be held over a three-day period, is a testament to the tremendous richness of this relatively young form of artistic expression. The creative circus first emerged in the 1970s and 1980s — at the time, it was called the “new circus” as a comparison to the traditional circus — and it has never stopped growing. From a handful of companies such as Cirque Plume and Archaos that were laying the foundations for these great artistic adventures, the circus landscape now boasts a diverse and ever-expanding number of companies. This phenomenon is seen at La Nuit du Cirque, which manages to deftly capture a snapshot of the state of the creative circus at a given moment and is a clear reflection of the art form’s momentum.

However, this dynamic will inevitably be affected by the budget cuts announced for the performing arts as a whole and for public services in general. This is happening in an economic context that has already been fragilized by Covid-19 and the rise in energy costs, and all this undermines the artistic possibilities. Many companies, even well-established ones, have reduced activities for the 2024-25 season and have a more limited visibility that is not very promising for the future. This makes La Nuit du Cirque an even more valuable event.

The rise of the [right wing] National Rally party in France has prompted a number of artists in the performing arts to question, and even criticize, the way they are carrying out their creative services for the general public. Does this affect the creative circus?

Historically, the creative circus has been an art form that has a very close relationship with audiences. It provides a highly relevant response to the question of how to offer cultural events for diverse audiences that are both popular and meet high aesthetic standards. Although, of course, work still needs to be done on notions of diversity and inclusion in the circus sector, both in terms of audiences and through support for artistic teams that are more representative of the multicultural richness of French society. What’s more, thanks to tent shows, the circus can travel and get as close as possible to local communities, which is especially important in areas where there are limited cultural options. This is one of the reasons why circus creation under the big top should be championed, which is being done at La Nuit du Cirque, where almost two dozen shows can be seen in tents. To cite just a few examples, there is Hourvariby the Compagnie Rasposo, which was created at the Le Palc national circus center in Châlons-en-Champagne (in the Marne in eastern France), the latest creation by Cie Max et Maurice, Les Grands Fourneaux #2, in Mondeville (in Calvados in northern France), Foutoir Céleste by Cirque Exalté in Nantes (in Loire-Atlantique in western France), or a show by Cirque Queer in La Seyne-sur-Mer (in the Paris area).

However, the quest to have the creative circus recognized as a major art form by institutions and audiences has led to a significant expansion in the number of productions made for theatres and public spaces, sometimes to the detriment of the big top. The costs of producing a show under a tent are also often difficult to bear, although on the other hand, certain stereotypes that these shows have a significant environmental impact are being genuinely challenged. It is important to support this means of presenting performances as it is part of the lifeblood of the circus.

Performances in public spaces are also a way to directly reach people. How does La Nuit du Cirque address this aspect of circus creation?

The circus is often performed outdoors, but because our event is held in November, this can be difficult. Hence there are relatively few performances of this type during La Nuit du Cirque. However, many venues are opting for decentralized programming, going beyond their walls to spaces where they don’t hold events often or have never been before. These spaces include community centers and multi-purpose halls, youth centers, social services facilities, libraries, and even a church in Verdun (in the Meuse in northeast France)... These programming initiatives reflect the ability of the circus to engage with as many people as possible, and it seems to me that as organizers, we have every interest in supporting creations that can be performed anywhere, particularly shows that demonstrate a genuine contemplation on the relationship with a local territory. These shows are still fairly rare and, in my opinion, deserve more attention and resources. There are places working on these types of projects, like the Le Plongeoir national circus center in Le Mans (in the Sarthe in northwest France), which, for example, supported the production of Axis Mundi by the Compagnie ISI in a museum space, or La Verrerie national circus center in Occitanie that runs the “Cirque Portatif” program to support all-terrain circus shows for all audiences. On the occasion of La Nuit du Cirque, the town of Aigues-Mortes (in the Gard in southern France) is presenting one of the creations resulting from this program: La Supérette by Édouard Peurichard.

The majority of the shows you have mentioned so far are very recent creations. But does La Nuit du Cirque also offer audiences the chance to see older works, or even pieces from the circus repertoire? This question has been getting more attention in recent years from both artists and cultural venues…

It is true that La Nuit du Cirque gives pride of place to the latest circus creations. Although at the beginning, the event was imagined as a showcase for the participating venues, more and more cultural organizations are seizing the event as an opportunity to program new circus creations. This tells us a lot about the growing importance of La Nuit du Cirque within the circus milieu and the performing arts sector as a whole. It also tells us a lot about the relationship between the venues and the contemporary circus, insofar as each venue is entirely free to program what it wants as it wants during the event. The appeal of new shows can be seen as evidence of the desire to showcase the vitality and diversity of this still largely unknown field of creation, which was one of Territoire de Cirque’s initial objectives when it created La Nuit du Cirque. However, this taste for new productions, which is also manifested by a focus on emerging artists, does not come at the expense of more established companies and artists. For example, with Parbleu! by Atelier Lefeuvre & André, a duo from the first generation of creative circus artists is performing their show in two different cities, and this is a reflection of the creative work being done at La Transverse street art center in Burgundy. Le Sablier national center for puppetry in Normandy is shining a spotlight on Compagnie Max & Maurice, which was formed around the same time. Other names from this generation on the La Nuit du Cirque program include Jani Nuutinen, Cirque Aïtal, and the Compagnie Rasposo.µ

Not to mention the artists and companies of the intermediary generation, some of whom are making a decisive contribution to the renewal of circus writing.

Absolutely. For example, the L’Azimut venue (in the Hauts-de-Seinne near Paris) is devoting its La Nuit du Cirque event to Maroussia Diaz Verbèke and her new creation, Circus Remake, which is being released to mark the occasion. They will also host a conference on the idea of “circography” that was developed by this artist, which will bring together circus artists and leading researchers. Also on the program are EAEO and Defracto, two companies that have really advanced the art of juggling. Several collectives will also be represented, including Collectif TBTF at the La Cascade national circus center (in the Var in the south of France) and the La Barque Acide company at the Sirque national circus center in Nexon (in Haute-Vienne in western France). These companies have adopted the successful model of the Galapiat Cirque, which is from the same generation: they put on collective shows while also producing individual works, which raises their standing in the eyes of institutions. This coexistence of artists from different generations at La Nuit du Cirque reflects the current state of the circus network, which has a truly solid foundation and continues to develop in new ways. This includes a more topical circus, one that focuses on current issues such as identity, ecology, and social activism, or a style of circus that prides itself on being poetic or entertaining.

The call for participation for this year’s La Nuit du Cirque evoked a key idea: “extraordinary” conviviality, the kind that surpasses the “ordinary” conviviality of the venues. This concept is particularly powerful in certain venues that have decided to make the event a special part of their season.

La Nuit du Cirque is increasingly an opportunity for venues and their teams to embrace original ideas, to take a different path, to create unique and surprising ways to welcome audiences, and to work with artists to come up with atypical events and performances. This is what we mean when we talk about an “extraordinary” conviviality. For some venues, La Nuit du Cirque has become a singular event, where the usual programming formats are turned on their head and distinctive ways of interacting with visitors are implemented.

Whether the circus is at the heart of their activities or part of their more general cultural program, we can see that a large number of venues are taking up the challenge. They are demonstrating a strong commitment to putting on unusual happenings for La Nuit du Cirque so it becomes a prominent event for them. Le Plongeoir in Le Mans and the ONYX theatre in Saint-Herblain have become specialists when it comes to adopting original approaches: both venues have decided to take the Territoire de Cirque’s invitation for a night of circus literally by hosting events that run until dawn. This year, they are trying something new by swapping their audiences so they can experience two Nuit du Cirques in two days. Twenty audience members from Le Mans are invited to spend the first evening of November 15th at the ONYX, where three companies will take their own approaches to the question of the body and its acceptance. These three shows will explore difference as a way to celebrate otherness in a convivial setting. The companies will then return by train to Le Mans and take 20 ONYX audience members along with them. The juggler Johan Swartvagher will be along for the ride, as will Amanda Delgado and Alejo Gamboa from the Compagnie Alta Gama. On the second evening, Le Plongeoir will be offering an artistic moonlit walk in an undisclosed location, an invitation to reclaim the night that is being organized in close collaboration with about a dozen artists invited for the occasion. This will be followed by an intimate dinner and show under the big top.

Other venues focus on the creative process. Why is this an interesting approach to take?

Presenting the different stages of creation is a way for organizations to include the audience in the artistic process, to involve them more closely in their work. Many national circus centers make this choice, particularly those with circus schools. These schools, whether professional or amateur, also play a significant role in La Nuit du Cirque, which they use as an opportunity to open their doors and let students try their hand at interacting with an audience. Some have a show to share, others a cabaret or a workshop... This participation is essential: it helps La Nuit du Cirque to better reflect the current state of the circus, i.e., a milieu with a complex identity where amateur and professional artists and venues maintain diverse, though not always visible, relationships. It’s also a practical and very tangible showcase for what we call the ecosystem or the creative circus sector, which includes a range of stakeholders from training to creation, not forgetting production and distribution.

La Nuit du Cirque is also a special opportunity to observe the international development of the creative circus.

The participation of countries other than France in La Nuit du Cirque, which has increased with each edition, challenges the preconceived notion that the creative circus is a French phenomenon. While the art form was born in France and has enjoyed vigorous development here, it also thrives elsewhere in forms that are sometimes similar, sometimes quite different. For instance, Belgium, a long-standing participant in La Nuit du Cirque that became a member of the Circuscentrum network this year, has a circus landscape quite similar to our own, as does Switzerland. Germany, which is also taking part in La Nuit, is seeing the development of new forms that reflect its cabaret tradition. Austria is also taking part, as is the Czech Republic, which is getting more and more attention in the circus world. La Nuit du Cirque offers cultural organizations and venues a window into other forms of circus. And, conversely, it gives the people behind these circuses from other countries an idea of the French circus and its different facets.

Last year, Territoires de Cirque supported the Ukrainian circus company Inshi. Will this type of commitment continue?

The work with Inshi opened up new ways of cooperating within the Territoires de Cirque network. This laid the groundwork for a production fund we are setting up this year, the fruits of which will be shared publicly at the next edition. Following a call for feedback from all Territoires de Cirque members, one large-format and one small-format project will be selected for support. So that the La Nuit du Cirque and the circus as a whole will continue to shine...

Interview by Anaïs Heluin