One day a blue ball appears in infinite space, but it is very alone.
Then the creator created men of all colors who spread out around the blue ball. But they spoke a thousand different languages and tensions arose. Tired of all the bickering, the blue ball woke up and its eyes, ears, mouth and nose conspired together to give men a language by which they could understand each other. This language gave birth to excellence, the fruit of diversity and solidarity between men.
An original idea by Soro BADRISSA | Text and staging by Luis MARQUES assisted by Soro BADRISSA | Choreography by Goualy RACHELLE | Design of the Puppets by Soro BADRISSA | Making of the puppets by Soro BADRISSA and Koro SOULEYMANE | Dressing of the puppets and costumes by Koro SOULEYMANE | Manipulation of the puppets by COMPAGNIE IVOIRE MARIONNETTES | Performed by Goualy RACHELLE, Koro SOULEYMANE, Soro BADRISSA, Kouassi DESIREE, Yeple Yeple TOUSSAINT, Kamagaté ADAMA and Gomene STEPHANE
The Ivoire Marionnettes Company, has existed since 2007, specializing in the manufacturing, training, manipulation and creation of puppet shows. Soro Badrissa is the Founder and Artistic Director, accompanied by Koro Souleymane and Goualy Rachelle. The Ivoire Marionnettes Company has won 2 medals at the Francophone Games in the Giant Puppets category: in Nice, France at the 7th Francophone Games with its show La Main qui Donne and again in 2013 and 2017 at the 8th Francophone Games with its show La Boule Bleu. In 2019, the Ivoire Marionnettes Company was awarded the 1st National Prize of Excellence for the Performing Arts by the President of the Republic of the State of Côte d'Ivoire. In September 2013, the Ivoire Marionnettes Company received the 1st prize in the NGO/UNESCO competition "Marionnettes commit to peace" on the occasion of the International Day of Peace organized in Charleville-Mézières in the North-East of France with the showTambour de l'Union.
www.academieivoiremarionnettes.com
La Boule Bueue is part of Pro-Vocation Roots and Wings – An International Exchange on Puppetry Arts in Africa, presented by the Professional Training Commission of UNIMA International, the UNIMA Africa Commission, and UNIMA SA, in partnership with The Centre for Humanities Research (CHR)/ University of the Western Cape (UWC). This is the 4th iteration of Pro-Vocation which will take place at the CHR’s Iyatsiba Lab in Greatmore Street, Woodstock. A program of performances will take place at Theatre Arts in Observatory as well as Ndawo Yobomi Youth Centre in Makhaza.
This event, positioned on the African continent for the first time, is dedicated to exploring and celebrating the living traditions and contemporary innovations of African puppetry pedagogies. It emphasizes the innovative and critical aspects of puppetry training across Africa, focusing on continental priorities through African exchange and global perspectives.