T H É Â T R E S I L V I A M O N F O R T
Polarising, Russian snow clowns
Beeing a cleaner is currently no easy job at the Théâtre Monfort. The ground completely covered by thousands of white paper scraps, glued in the first seat rows with soap, far behind with water. Foam where the spray radiuses overlap each other. Unmistakable – «Slava’s Snowshow» is visiting Paris and ravages the futuristic theatre in the shape of a pyramid daily anew. Director Slava Polunin, representative of the old-established, Russian mime clowns and his own chief character in a yellow chicken dress, tours with the show already since 1993 around the globe. Critics are at odds with themselves reviewing the bizarre sundries performed on a scanty decorated stage. Too serious for some, wonderfully dreamy for others.
Of course the story deals with snow. But the clean, white stage setting hides poetry and joy, rivalry and above all melancholy. The eight person ensemble is able to create moods with minimalistic but nevertheless crystal-clear facial expressions. Thereby it is supported by simple stage-effects with a great decorativeness: Out of the ceiling it snows, storm rages through the whole hall, soap bubbles float slowly down, the front rows disappear in the fog, a spiderweb glides onto the scene and falls down on the audience. Even when the big red noses and much too large shoes indicate a ribald kind of humour there is no laugher to here and at the most a smile to see during the spectacle. One thing Slava & Co. are not: Quite funny. Their brillant mimic game is occasionally even threatening and causes wide opened children eyes.
All these thoughts care the Monfort cleaners less. This evening, they will also work extra shifts to tidy up the building and pick uncountable paper scraps from the last corners of the hall, the toilett rooms, the foyer and the
complete entrance area. The way 400 spectators will do at home in their clothes, too. Just some days ago «Slava’s Snowshow» has prolonged its guest performance in Paris until January 10, 2010. Well, congratulations.
Résumé: A modern tale of carefully selected details. It applies for interpretation, is consciously exhausting and – really far away from any matter of taste – unsuitable for beeing entertained only.
► «Slava’s Snowshow» in the season 2009/10 at the Théâtre Silvia Monfort. With Slava Polunin, Elena Ushakova, Robert Saralp, Tatiana Karamysheva, Yury Musatov, Alexandre Frish, Ivan Polunin, Artem Zhimolokhov, Nikolai Terentiev ► Further reviews at the
review archives
Polarising, Russian snow clowns
Beeing a cleaner is currently no easy job at the Théâtre Monfort. The ground completely covered by thousands of white paper scraps, glued in the first seat rows with soap, far behind with water. Foam where the spray radiuses overlap each other. Unmistakable – «Slava’s Snowshow» is visiting Paris and ravages the futuristic theatre in the shape of a pyramid daily anew. Director Slava Polunin, representative of the old-established, Russian mime clowns and his own chief character in a yellow chicken dress, tours with the show already since 1993 around the globe. Critics are at odds with themselves reviewing the bizarre sundries performed on a scanty decorated stage. Too serious for some, wonderfully dreamy for others.
Of course the story deals with snow. But the clean, white stage setting hides poetry and joy, rivalry and above all melancholy. The eight person ensemble is able to create moods with minimalistic but nevertheless crystal-clear facial expressions. Thereby it is supported by simple stage-effects with a great decorativeness: Out of the ceiling it snows, storm rages through the whole hall, soap bubbles float slowly down, the front rows disappear in the fog, a spiderweb glides onto the scene and falls down on the audience. Even when the big red noses and much too large shoes indicate a ribald kind of humour there is no laugher to here and at the most a smile to see during the spectacle. One thing Slava & Co. are not: Quite funny. Their brillant mimic game is occasionally even threatening and causes wide opened children eyes.
All these thoughts care the Monfort cleaners less. This evening, they will also work extra shifts to tidy up the building and pick uncountable paper scraps from the last corners of the hall, the toilett rooms, the foyer and the
complete entrance area. The way 400 spectators will do at home in their clothes, too. Just some days ago «Slava’s Snowshow» has prolonged its guest performance in Paris until January 10, 2010. Well, congratulations.
Résumé: A modern tale of carefully selected details. It applies for interpretation, is consciously exhausting and – really far away from any matter of taste – unsuitable for beeing entertained only.
► «Slava’s Snowshow» in the season 2009/10 at the Théâtre Silvia Monfort. With Slava Polunin, Elena Ushakova, Robert Saralp, Tatiana Karamysheva, Yury Musatov, Alexandre Frish, Ivan Polunin, Artem Zhimolokhov, Nikolai Terentiev ► Further reviews at the
review archives
5 
breathtaking | 4 very nice | 3 entertaining | 2 disappointing | 1 bad
breathtaking | 4 very nice | 3 entertaining | 2 disappointing | 1 bad
![[paris-tourist.com] Footer](../images/footer_eng.jpg){kind=small}