
HISTORICAL
du Théâtre d'Illusia à Aurora

Created in 1997 in Rouen by Marja Nykänen, Marie De Bailliencourt and Jean-Christophe Canivet, the Théâtre d'Illusia has created and distributed around twenty shows and given more than 1000 performances in France and around the world, whether in internationally renowned theatres and festivals, in unconventional venues, in public spaces: aquatic puppet creations, performance trails for parks and gardens, small autonomous forms.
Artistic direction of a festival for 10 years in Haute Vienne " Imaginieul ".
Artistic, cultural and cooperation activities in France, Finland, Laos, Vietnam, Morocco, Algeria, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, and Quebec.
Partnership with the educational community from kindergarten to university, retirement homes, medical and social institutes, art schools, and popular education associations.
Collaborations and partnerships with other artistic teams and festivals in France, Quebec, and Finland.
After more than ten years between Normandy and Limousin, the company chose in 2018 to settle permanently in Nouvelle Aquitaine and merged with the AURORA association, organizer of the ImagiNieul festival.
images animées : Corinne Leconte
EQUIPE
Aurora

MARJA NYKÄNEN
metteur en scène, dramaturge, marionnettiste
born in Helsinki (Finland)
graduate of ESNAM (Charleville Mézières),
Actor training program at the Aarhus Theatre Academy (Denmark).
Artistic director of the young puppet festival (Rouen).
Co-founder of the Théâtre d'Illusia, she is responsible for the majority of the staging and dramaturgy of the Company's productions.
Carte blanche for several festivals (Marionnettissimo, Festival Mondial des Théâtres de Marionnettes de Charleville Mézières).
She has also collaborated with Basil Twist (USA), Guido Ceronetti (Italy), Cie Chairos (Germany), Cie DramBakus and the Lyon National Orchestra, Cie Zapoï, Cie Ratibus, Cie Akselere, Cie de l'Echelle, Via Espressa, and the Finnish National Theatre.
Academy of Arts / Puppet Section of Turku (Finland), University of Oran (Algeria), ISADAC Rabat (Morocco), Writings of the World/Paris.
Artistic direction of the ImagNieul festival.
UNIMA Finland Prize 2017.
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JEAN CHRISTOPHE CANIVET
marionnettiste, comédien, musicien, constructeur
born in Châlons-en-Champagne (France),
graduate of the Jacques Lecoq International Theatre School (90),
Courses at the Charles Dullin School Workshop for actor training.
puppet workshops with Philippe Genty (IIM), Théâtre du petit Miroir (Jean Luc Penso) for learning the "Chinese glove".
Kabuki Theatre workshop at ARTA (Cartoucherie Vincennes)
Black belt in Kendo and teaching diploma
Violinist
Trained in locksmithing for the performing arts (CIF CFPTS)
Co-founder of the Théâtre d'Illusia, has built most of the puppets and sets for the Théâtre d'Illusia's productions in recent years.
Has collaborated with Cie Zapoï, Cie Les Locataires, Cirque Baroque, Cie Drambakus, Cie Les Sages Fous, and Finnish Radio TV.
Member of the Board of Directors of THEMAA from 2012 to 2017, and re-elected in 2021, THEMAA representative for Intermediate and Independent Venues, for RURALITY, Cultural Rights, member of the editorial committee of MANIP the puppet journal.
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SHOWS

DISPARITION OU LE TIROIR MAGIQUE D'ERIK SATIE
d'après les dessins, notes de partitions et écrits du compositeur
Show suitable for all audiences from age 5 and up.
Created in 1996 for Marionnettissimo (cabaret version) and in 1998 for the Lutke Festival (Slovenia/new trends award).
Over 400 performances over the past 20 years in France and elsewhere, including:
Satie Houses/Honfleur, Textile and Fashion Museum /Cholet, Charleroi Comic Strip Festival (Belgium),
Canvas on the banks of the Vienne-Urkaba/Limoges, Garden Party/OrbisPictus/Joinville, Culture au Grand Jour CD87, World Puppet Theatre Festival of Charleville-Mézières, Canel Museum/Pont Audemer
Heritage Days - Former Jesuit Colleges/Reims, Jardin des Plantes d'Evreux, Viva Cité/Sotteville lès Rouen, Haute Vienne en Scène, Urkaba...
with the support of:
Satie Foundation/Paris, Théâtre le Safran/Rouen, French School of Hanoi
By turns, the king of beans, a sad clown, or a moonless Pierrot, the theater director has his work cut out for him to find Monsieur Erik... but what do you prefer? Music or charcuterie?... the curtain rises on a bone...
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PREMIER CHANT
d'après le premier chant du Kalevala, épopée finlandaise
Aquatic puppet show for toddlers from 18 months old.
2000-2011
Created for Helsinki European Capital of Culture 2000, performed over 650 times for 10 years, notably at the TJP/CDN Strasbourg,
Festival les Boréales/CDN Caen, Festival Petits Bonheurs/Montreal, Bravo/Helsinki, Internationaal Poppentheater Festival Dordrecht, Lutke Festival/National Theatre/Ljubljana, Marionnettissimo, Très Tôt Théâtre, CCM Limoges, L'Archipel/National Stage Guadeloupe, Leu Tempo Festival/Reunion Island, Festival Méli'mome, rural tour with Ligue 87,
"Rêveurs éveillés" Festival/Sevran, Ô 4 vents Festival/Paris 4
with the support of:
DRAC Haute-Normandie, Région Haute-Normandie, Ville de Rouen, Département Seine-Maritime,
ODIA, Workshop 231 /Sotteville lès Rouen
Photo: Alain Julien

ROI OCÉAN
libre adaptation de la vie et l'oeuvre de Genghis Khan, le conquérant mongol
2005 - 2007
Water puppet and Chinese glove puppet show for ages 8 and up
with the support of:
DRAC and the Upper Normandy Region, Seine-Maritime Department, City of Rouen,
Espace Beaumarchais / Maromme, Festival les Giboulées/TJP-CDN Strasbourg,
Festival Méli'môme/Reims, Festival Ô 4 vents/Paris, Internationaal Poppentheater Festival/Dordrecht (Netherlands),
The Ephemeris/Val de Reuil, Théâtre de la Chapelle Saint Louis /Rouen, Atelier 231/Sotteville-lès-Rouen

PETITE HISTOIRE DE BATEAUX
Water puppet show for ages 7 and up
2007-2011
based on the children's book "A Little Love Story" by Marit Törnqvist
With the support of
DRAC and Normandy Region, Seine-Maritime Department, City of Rouen, CC Marc Sangnier, CCM J.Moulin Limoges, Bravo Festival (Finland), Champs de la marionnettes/Cie Daru, Ligue de l'enseignement 87, Théâtre en Action/Moulidars,
François Mitterrand Cultural Center/Canteleu

ALLÉE AUX NICHOIRS
Parcours spectacles pour les parcs et jardins
created 2002/2003
4 Performance Trails on the 4 elements in the colors of the rainbow, written by contemporary authors for the show.
Birdhouses are like miniature theatres that hold the seeds of creation in the world.
Intimate tours where puppeteer guides offer a space of freedom for the spectators' imagination.
More than 600 performances since its creation, including:
Renaissance Festival / Bar-le-Duc, Jardin des Plantes / Paris, Jardin de Bercy / Paris, Château de Châlucet,
Destination Elsewhere/Vassivière, Harcourt Castle,
Bellac National Festival, 1,9,3 Soleil Festival / La Courneuve,
World Puppet Theatre Festival of Charleville-Mézières, URBAKA
with the support of:
DRAC and the Upper Normandy Region, the Seine-Maritime Department, the City of Rouen,
LaChambole/Rugles Festival, Bernay Festival, Leu Tempo Festival/Reunion Island, Beyond Reality Festival/Joué-lès-Tours,
The Ephemeris / Val de Reuil, MJC J. Prévert/Dieppe, CNES Villeneuve lès Avignon
Photo credit: Samuel Stewart

YOURTE DES MARIONNETTES NOMADES
Created in 2007
exhibition show in a real Mongolian yurt
with the support of
Upper Normandy region,
The Apostrophe-Media Library of Nantiat, Marionmaine,
Traveling Puppet Festival / ZAPOï Company,
Franco-Moroccan Alliance of El Jadida, Safi, French Institute of Fez, Sotteville-lès-Rouen Media Library, Canteleu Cultural Center

CETTE NUIT AUTOUR DU PUITS - LES ENIGMES DE LA REINE DE SABA
Spectacle d'après "les énigmes de la Reine de Saba" de Mohamed Kacimi
2009-2012
Created in the Portuguese city of El Jadida in Morocco in 2009, then in residence at the Théâtre du Fon du Loup (24),
created in France for the Francophonies Festival in Limoges and for
the World Puppet Theatre Festival in Charleville-Mézières 2009,
Usinotopia, Helsinki Festival, Malmitalo (Finland)
with the support of
the Upper Normandy Region, the Franco-Moroccan Alliances of El Jadida, Safi, Kenitra,
The French Institutes of Fez, Oujda and Rabat, the Nador Festival (Morocco), L'Ephéméride / Val de Reuil,
The Château de la Roche Guyon, the Centre Daviel/Paris 13, the Chapelle Saint Louis/Rouen, the Espace F.Mitterrand/St Saens, the Théâtre du Fond du Loup/Carves
Photo credit: Camara Moussa

THE STORY OF THE BIRDS WHO WANTED TO KNOW THE END OF THE WORLD
a free adaptation of The Conference of the Birds (Attar) by Mohamed Kacimi
Performance piece created in 2012/2013 during a residency at the Château de Harcourt (27)
with the support of
the DRAC and the Normandy Region, the Department of Eure, the ARS Normandy (Culture and Health),
the World Puppet Theatre Festival of Charleville-Mézières,
Royaumont Foundation, Malmitalo/Helsinki, Les 6000/artistic wasteland, Urbaka/Limoges

JEPATA GRIFFE AU PÔLE NORD
a show of shadows and light
Created in 2011
Adaptation of the children's book "Jepata Nasta Pohjoisnavalla" by Rosa Liksom
With the support of:
Upper Normandy region,
Finnish Institute/Paris, Hippalot Festival/Hämeenlinna, CCM Limoges, Espace Culturel F. Mitterrand/Canteleu,
MPT Sotteville-lès-Rouen, Château de Harcourt, DRAC Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Photo: Isabelle Hartmann

TIPOL
Poésie sonore et marionnettes pour les tout-petits
created in 2015
with the support of:
Normandy region, La Factorie/Val de Reuil,
Le Relais, theatre creation centre/Le Catelier, DRAC Haute Normandie (CLEAC),
7th Sooloa Festival/ Rovaniemi (Finland), Salle L. Jouvet-Chapelle Saint Louis / Rouen, La Ligue de l'enseignement 87

QUAND L'OMBRE PASSE
Tribute to Mohammed Dib #1
2015-2016
Shadow and puppet show in homage to Mohammed Dib, based on "L'enfant Jazz"
Created during the 2015 World Puppet Theatre Festival in Charleville-Mézières
with the support of:
La Factorie/House of Poetry in Normandy/Val de Reuil, Alias Victor/Rouen, The Magical Worlds/Rouen
Elsa's Eyes / Le Havre, the international society of friends of Mohammed Dib,
La Baluba /St Yrieix sous Aixe, Festival Des mots dans les nuages /Camaret,
Festival of Colors of Europe / Algiers, the Embassy of Finland in Algiers,
Villa Abdelatif of Algiers

SAISONS
Hommage à Mohamed Did #2
2017
according to "The Tree of Sayings" by Mohamed Dib
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with the support of:
Festival of Colors of Europe / Algiers, Embassy of Finland in Algiers,
City of Blida, Kateb Yacine School of Algiers,
World Puppet Theatre Festival of Charleville-Mézières,
The Buissonière School/The Boxwood
in memoriam Iazid Ketfi
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Photo: Corinne Leconte
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QUE DIT L'ARBRE
2015/2016
show created at the Opéra Village/Laongo (Burkina Faso) as part of the LIMFASO cooperation
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with the support of:
Limousin & New Aquitaine Region,
Public Reading Hub of the AGD/ELAN Community of Municipalities,
House of Friendship/Ziniaré, DPENA Resource Center Ziniaré,
La Factorie/House of Poetry in Normandy/Val de Reuil,
Elsa's Eyes / Le Havre, La Source / La Guéroulde, St. Louis Chapel / Espace L. Jouvet / Rouen,
Raymond Loewy Applied Arts High School/La Souterraine

TEMPÊTE SUR UN VÉLO
A loose adaptation of The Tempest by W. Shakespeare
2017-2020
variable-shaped creation for outdoor and/or indoor use
Creation stage: Lize Puppet Art Colony/Ylan (Taiwan), L'Usinotopie, Théâtre du Fon du Loup,
Theatre in action, Théâtre de l'Esquif, Micro festival Trois Rivières (Quebec)
with the support of
Unusual Theatre Factory/Sages Fous Company, International Micro Poppen Festival Dordrecht,
Charleville-Mézières World Puppet Theatre Festival,
OFF MIMA/Mirepoix, Raymond Loewy High School of Applied Arts/La Souterraine
Photo: Patrick Arigrakis

CANTIQUE AQUATIQUE
Aquatic puppet show created
at the 2021 Charleville-Mézières World Puppet Theatre Festival
Creation stages in 2018:
Kikloche Festival (72), Festisol / Ziniaré / Zorgho (Burkina Faso),
CCM J.Moulin /Limoges (Festival of Solidarity)
Creation stages in 2019: ImagiNieul (87), Fragments/Marc la Tour (19),
Lize Puppet Theater & its double/Lize Puppet Art Colony/Ylan/ Taiwan
Valenciennes Traveling Puppet Festival/Cie Zapoï (59)
Creation stages in 2020 and 2021: Théâtre Hélios, ImaiNieul
Creative residency and premieres: Charleville-Mézières World Puppet Theatre Festival (Sept 2021)
with the support of:
OARA (production support), Nouvelle Aquitaine Region (NAFASO cooperation), DRAC NA (residency support)
Human Rights House / Limoges, Nieul Municipality,
Municipality of Nantiat, World Puppet Theatre Festival of Charleville-Mézières (co-production)
Hélios Theater, Lizé Puppet Art Colony
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Lyyli des 4 saisons
Hommage à Mohammed Dib # 3
Created in 2020
The puppet:
a little mixed-race girl who observes the seasons,
invents nursery rhymes,
recites poems,
Listen to the birds singing.
Two women:
Are they members of his family or nature spirits?
They offer other poems that are like gifts to the child.
You feel the absence of a loved one and the passing of time.
The birds fly away.
A tree on stage breathes in rhythm with the passing seasons
Avec le soutien de
Région Nouvelle Aquitaine, Festival des Francophonies en Limousin
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création ImagiNieul 2020 et Festival Francophonies /Zébrures d'Automne 2020
CREATION VIDEO EN TEMPS DE "COVID"
​International Puppet Parlor / Online
Au Here Theater (New York) :
"ROCKING CHAIR"
-
- 9 décembre 2020 :
LIEN POUR VISIONNER LA VIDEO






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