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Histoire : “This is a story quite different from the other stories--a story about The Most Wise Sovereign Suleiman-bin-Daoud--Solomon the Son of David. Suleiman-bin-Daoud was wise. He understood what the beasts said, what the birds said, what the fishes said, and what the insects said. He understood what the rocks said deep under the earth when they bowed in towards each other and groaned; and he understood what the trees said when they rustled in the middle of the morning. Balkis, his Head Queen, the Most Beautiful Queen Balkis, was nearly as wise as he was. Suleiman-bin-Daoud was strong. Upon the third finger of the right hand he wore a ring. When he turned it once, Afrits and Djinns came Out of the earth to do whatever he told them. When he turned it twice, Fairies came down from the sky to do whatever he told them; and when he turned it three times, the very great angel Azrael of the Sword came dressed as a water-carrier, and told him the news of the three worlds,--Above--Below--and Here.”

Origine:  Creation by Le Théâtre des Ombres – The show is inspired from the Rudyard Kipling tales "The butterfly that stamped"

Histoire : Jackie, Jackie L. Macson, we can find like him on all the disco round over the world. He had an idol : the King of the Pop suddenly disappeared on 2009 June 25^th . For our great pleasure, Jackie is going to dance for us with his partner Jillie, Jillie Bean. Will he dance as well as his master Michaël Jackson? 

Origine:Création Le Théâtre des Ombres

Story : The Tales and Fables of Jean de La Fontaine are a fruitful source of inspiration. Here, we present two tales out of the most famous ones : "The Raven and the Fox", "the Heron" and "The Frog that wished to be as big as the Ox". What is told in these stories is universal : flattery, envy, jealousy. We tried to find a way to emphasize the humor always behind the texts of French writer La Fontaine. If by these shows, we could contribute to turn the children to read or even to learn these fables we would be very happy. 

Origine : Creation of Le Théâtre des Ombres

Show without word - can be played in any country

Histoire : A plunger looking for archeological remains disturbs the quietness of the deep water ... 

Origine:  Creation Les Montreursd'Ombres

Show without word - can be played in any country

Story : In the High and Far-Off Times the Elephant, had no trunk. He had only a blackish, bulgy nose, as big as a boot, that he could wriggle about from side to side; but he couldn't pick up things with it. But there was one Elephant — a new Elephant — an Elephant's Child — who was full of 'satiable curiosity, and that means he asked ever so many questions. And he lived in Africa, and he filled allAfrica with his 'satiable curiosities. One fine morning in the middle of the Precession of the Equinoxes this 'satiable Elephant's Child asked a new fine question that he had never asked before. He asked, 'What does the Crocodile have for dinner?' This will be the beginning of a delightful walk in the African savanna to find by him the answer. He will find much more than he could have imagined! With this show we wanted to restitute the fine humor and the poetic imagination of Rudyard Kipling

Origine: Creation of the Théâtre des Ombres with the kind participation of RoshanakRoshan

This show can be easily performed in any country
as far as the story is said by a native actor
It is easy to find translation of the original text
Duration : 20 to 30 minutes 

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Story : This short story presents a very well educated pianist. He loves overall to be sheared by the audience. For us he will try to play the ‘symphonic dances’ of Rachmaninov. It is quite difficult, it is event done to be played with 4 hands! But for the pleasure of all, things will not turn like in a concert hall!

Origin : Creation of the Théâtre des Ombres

Show without word - can be played in any country

Duration : 10 minutes.

Histoire : Ici, les sorcières ressemblaient un peu à des fées. Seuls leurs cadeaux étaient empoisonnés. À la faveur de l'obscurité, ces sorcières malfaisantes jetaient des sorts et répandaient les pires maux dans la contrée, inspirant aux gens du pays une profonde terreur. En vain les paysans fouillaient la campagne. La bande joyeuse des sorcières disparaissait dans les branches touffues des chênes. On entendait un bruissement de feuilles qui s'entrechoquent et de branches qui gémissent. Puis la nature rentrait dans le silence. Un jour pourtant, un des chênes protesta ; c'était le plus jeune et le plus frêle ...

Origine : D’après "Le chêne de Ria" de H. Chauvet - Co-production des Montreurs d'Ombres et du Théâtre des Ombres

Duration : 15 minutes.

Story : Stop it ! big bad wolf! The three little pigs are going out the traditional tale to be with us. But unfortunately the world is also full of wolfs. This comic story is surprising. If the first scenes let us thing that only the story of the three little pigs is delocalized in Paris, New-York or in Pyrenean Mountains, quickly the audience will have to face with the brutality of our world..
Origin : Created by the Théâtre des Ombres in co-production with Les Montreursd'Ombres

Duration : 25 minutes.

Story : The story takes place in the 19th Century when Breton fishermen would travel to Iceland to fish. The shadow settings for this tale are the moors on the north coast of Brittany and the lonely ports ofIceland. “The son of Croguennec”  tells the tale of a young boys’s quest. He has signed up as a “ship’s boy” in order to try to find traces of his father who never returned from one of  those fearsome fishing expeditions which Pierre Loti made so famous. In this play there are about twenty puppets and twenty different shadow settings most of which have moving parts : making altogether about 200 articulations. In this play white shadows are used for the first time : silhouettes are projected in light onto a black screen 

Origin: Created by the Théâtre des OmbresDuration : 30 minutes 

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Story: The  play is a free adaptation of the tale of Perseus : characters include King Polydectes, Atals, Medusa, Andromeda, the three grey sisters who share an eye …”Behind the shadow screen Perseus’ quest becomes a burlesque epic with witty dailogue.” Perseus annoys Atlas as he’s craving for one of the giant’s famous croque-monsieurs and then put winged socks to fly toward the Medusa... 

Origin : Created by the Théâtre des OmbresDuration 30 minutes

Story : A brigand has been causing trouble in the local neighbourhood for a long t ime. But he is more of a fool than a thief, and has never really pulled off one of his dirty tricks. Furthermore he is the laughing stock of the town, everyone teases him. He is easy to recognise : his face has turned red as he is constantly angry and never fails to bring disgrace upon himself. In this story he wants to pinch the magician's horse. Will his ill-luck follow him, as it has always done in the past?

Origin : Created by the Théâtre des OmbresDuration : 15 minutes

Story : After the Trojan War, Odysseus and his companions return to Ithaca their homeland. On their way they meet Circe the magician. Odysseus's companions are transformed into swine. 

Origin: extracts from the Homer's Odyssey   Duration : 5 minutes

Story : It is said that the chinese can tell the time by looking at the eyes of a cat. A young chinaman who wants to know the time talks to a cat who asks him if he wants to know what time it is now or what time it will be later on. This question dismays the chinaman. His confusion is short-lived however, it lasts the amount of time it takes him to see what will become of him in the near future. 

Origin: Created by the Théâtre des OmbresDuration : 20 minutes

Story : Long ago there lived a young frog. She lived deep in a marsh and she was as beautiful as she was good. One day a young toad of about her age came and asked her to mary him ... Unfortunately this story which begun on such a light-note turns into comical tragedy 

Origin: The Théâtre des Ombres's own adaptation of a popular song  Duration : 5 minutes

Story : A poor fisherman catches a talking fish who wears a crown. The fish begs to be let go. The fisherman's wife hears about the talking fish and suspects it must be magic. Sick to death of living in her hovel she tells her husband to call to the fish and ask it to transform the hovel into a house with a TV + Washing Machine. Yet this is not enough, the wife always wants more. 

Origin: R. Ingrams et P. Peett's adaptation of the famous tale collected by the brothers Grimm  Duration : 25 minutes

Story : Peter is a tough kid who isn't afraid of wolves. The garden door is open. Peter sees his chance and goes walking in the meadows to find his friends : the Bird, the Duck and the Cat. Grandfather gets cross and takes Peter back to the garden. At this point a grey wolf comes out ot the forest. 

Origin: The Théâtre des Ombres's own adaptation of the the musical tale by Prokofiev

Story : There was once a Prince, who became friends with the jungle animals. He hears about a princess as beautiful as the day. To find her he will have to perform terrible tasks : crush 1000 kg of mustard seed, combat the dragon and last but not least kill the Ogress who lives in the hills. 

Origin: Rupert Ingrams's adaptation of an Indian tale from Andrew Lang's Yellow Fairy Book    Duration : 20 minutes

Story :Ayaz, a young prince, dances beneath the walls of a palace. The resident princess appears and seems charmed by the dancer. A monster appears and stops Ayaz from meeting her. The prince begins a strange journey which will lead him from one kingdom to another to find a sword. This sword will allow him to get rid of the monster and see his princess again. 

Origin: Creation by the Théâtre des OmbresDuration : 20 minutes 

Extract from the text

Story : In the same castle live a great sorcerer who knows how to use magic words and his apprentice who has just started to dabble in magic. One day the sorcerer leaves to go on a journey, the apprentice is at last alone and sees his opportunity to test out the few magic words that he believes he has learnt. And the magic works, his broom obeys his orders!! Unfortunately the magic forces quickly go out of his control ... Only the great sorcerer knows how to put an end to this nightmare. 

Origin: The Théâtre des Ombres's adaptation of Goethe'e ballad Duration : 13 minutes

Story : The Emperor prises fine clothes above everything else in the world. Two swindlers make him a proposition. They will weave him a sumptous cloth which has a remarkable property : it appears to be invisible to imbeciles. The Emperor orders the cloth to be made by them : the garment must be ready for the big procession which will take place in the town. 

Origin: The Théâtre des Ombres's adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's tale    Duration : 20 minutes