It’s French street theater, albeit performed on the water. The illusion is to turn the waves of Lake Michigan back into a French street.
Expect to see floating baby carriages — as well as sights like heads exploding into fireworks. The performances of “Water Fools (Fous de Bassin)” off the eastern tip of Navy Pier this weekend will be by the French company Ilotopie (ill-a-tope-ee), making its American debut as part of Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s World’s Stage Series.
In a nod to the ordinary, the audience (capacity will be about 3,000, first come, first served) stays on plain, old dry land.
Is this a whimsical French thing? Is there a story? Don’t be so literal, says Chicago Shakespeare Theater Executive Director Criss Henderson — though he’s more diplomatic. “Yes, there is plenty of whimsy in ‘Water Fools.’ I think that’s a good word,” he says. “But the great thing is it’s full of fireworks, there’s music. And this is also a serious company. In what they do, they’re reflecting in some way on the human condition.”
The visual effect of performers walking on water will be created through a choreography of small boats and clever lighting. A car putters along. A man reads the newspaper, only to be splashed by a passing cyclist.
As for a story, there will be “people you’ll meet and get to know” during the performance, he says. “Just don’t get too attached to the man whose head bursts into flames.”
More background: Ilotopie is a collective of actors, musicians and sculptors from the south of France, under the artistic direction of Francoise Leger and Bruno Schnebelin. This visit is in partnership with the French-American Fund for the Performing Arts, also behind “Farewell Umbrella,” by James Thierree, here in fall 2007. World’s Stage also brought Chicago the midair bell ringers of “Maudits Sonnants” by Compagnie Transe Express last summer.
“Here in Chicago, we’re fortunate to have companies like Redmoon,” Henderson says. “In France, though, this is a form of theater that is uniquely theirs.”
About that combustible cranium: The show is all ages but use your own discretion. “Curtain time is 9:15 p.m.,” Henderson says. “That speaks volumes.”
– – –
“Water Fools”
When: Sundown (about 9:15 p.m.) Friday and Saturday
Where: East end of Navy Pier
Tickets: Free general admission as space permits. More information at chicagoshakes.com and ilotopie.com.
———-
dgeorge@tribune.com
