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Published on December 10, 2007

Since its creation in 1997 in Bourg-en-Bresse in Rhone-Alpes, France, the visually stunning 'Herbert's Dream', featuring five characters on stilts draped in white performing a magic rite to raise the moon, has been performed all over the world.

Last week, the critically acclaimed French street-performance troupe Quidams was in Bangkok helping Central Department Store welcome in the festive season under the theme "Central 2008: Let's Celebrate, Let's Unite".

The troupe comprises the creators Jean-Baptiste Duperray and Nikola Martin; the performers France Chapon, Fabienne Clarimon, Vincent Borel, Sulliran Lafaurie and Marie Pinot; and Frederic Grand, the technician.

"In French 'Herbert's Dream' is 'Reve d'Herbert', which sounds like reverbere, or 'streetlight'," says Duperray.

"But the performance is all about dreams. Dreams are very important. We invite the audience to follow Herbert as he reaches for his dreams."

And indeed, it's impossible not to be drawn into a dream world as the characters advance slowly and silently in shadows, appearing from behind a tree or at the corner of the street. They approach each other, forming a group and inviting the audience to follow them. Step by step, with slow and calm gestures, they transform from 2.5-metre into four metre-high beings with large, round illuminated heads that are as delicate as balloons. The balloons represent the moon, with the colour white symbolising purity and peace.

"People can create their own story when they see the show. For us, it's enough to absorb energy from the people, the lights and the town. That energy helps us to inflate and allows the balloons to rise up towards the moon. There are a lot of symbols there too but we don't really tell a story, just create the ambience," he notes.

"Herbert's Dream" has been performed at many world events, among them the Guinguettes del'Yvett, Chalon in the Street, The Perth Festival in Australia, The Arts Festival in France, World Cup 1998 and Euro 2000. This is the troupe's first time in Thailand.

Chapon joined the show seven years ago and says it took her 15 minutes to master walking on stilts. "I love the ambience; it's very sweet, very calm and it's a lot of fun too," she smiles.

Duperray explains that learning to walk with stilts can take five minutes or several weeks. It depends on the individual. "To perform you need to forget the stilts, which measure 80 centimetres. Being able to act and dance on the stilts takes longer."

"Herbert's Dream", like most of the shows in Compagnie Quidams' repertoire, is designed for the street rather than the stage, but Duperray says they can adapt the choreography to suit any event and any venue, be it a festival or party, small town or village.

Chapon adds, "When we learn stilts we learn to fall too. We have protection only on the knees and that's it. But we keep our eyes open and tend to spot potential dangers so we rarely fall. It's a bit like riding a bike or swimming.

"But while Chapon makes it sound easy, it's not until she lifts her draped costume that she reveals the seven kilograms of batteries that allow her to inflate into a voluminous illumination.

"When I perform the show, I know I'm on the stilts. I walk and dance as I have to but my mind is with the audience. I'm open to give the audience pleasure. I'm not performing for myself. I think of the picture I give to the public; usually something very calm like a big baby or big balloon," she says.

The music is very special too. The troupe used to have a classical soundtrack but have now changed to a backing track that blends traditional instruments with contemporary and modern sounds.

People in different countries, Chapon continues, conjure up different images of the show. Their dreams are different too.

"What we want to do with this show is to touch them, to see their eyes, their smiles. That's a very nice gift."

Kupluthai Pungkanon

The Nation