Ulla von Brandenburg <em>La fenêtre s’ouvre comme une orange (danse abstraction)</em> 2022 (still), super 16 mm film transferred to hd video, color, silent, 5 min 18 sec, edition of 5 + 2 AP. With the support of Fondazione di Piacenza e Vigevano. Courtesy of the artist.<br/>
© Ulla von Brandenburg

Un bal sous l’eau

English translation of the original libretto in French, German and English.

L : Laurence Mayor / F : Fabricia Martins / B : Benoit Résillot / G : Giuseppe Molino / S : Sabrina Baldassara / D : Duncan Evennou / U : Ulla von Brandenburg

BACKSTAGE 1

1st Discussion (everyone)

L : Mon costume n’est pas complet, le personnage ne peut pas entrer.
F : Le personnage c’est le costume
B : Un personnage n’a pas besoin de costume.
G : Mais un costume a besoin d’un acteur.
S : Si l’acteur en a besoin, c’est qu’il a mal travaillé.
F : J’aime mieux travailler avec un masque.
D : Je préfère jouer sans rien.
L : Se costumer c’est rentrer dans le personnage.
S : Se costumer, c’est laisser le personnage vous rentrer dedans.
B : Je ne sors jamais du personnage.
G : Je ne sors jamais sans mon personnage.
D : Il y a du monde ce soir dans la salle?

1st Song (everyone)

We start, the turn around
We come back and stand up again
8/8/6 and split again
And you get 3/3/2 steps to the left
Windmill
2/6/5 steps to the right
We come back in 3/2/6
And we go on
3/3/2 steps to the left
Windmill
2/6/5 steps to the right
The turn around
We come back and stand up

2A Song (Duncan Evennou, Giuseppe Molino)
Original version

More red. Less red.
I put on some blue. Less blue.
Add some green. More green.
I like yellow. More yellow.
I don’t know how to put blue on.

2B Song (everyone)

The face is a landscape
The landscape is a passage
The colors are not wise
I don’t look my age
A landscape of sinking
I swim into the pictures
An assemblage all the way to the shore
I’d need a good massage


AUF DER BÜHNE 1

3rd Song: Menschen (Benoit Résillot)

People who live under the water love more and better
They have big genitals
They don’t pay taxes
They sit on animals
They have long hair
They avoid conflicts
They know how to come.

4th Song: Lachanson de Pierrot (Laurence Mayor)

Ich sehe den Grund
Ich sehe auf den Grund
Steine für meine Sammlung
Saphire und Smaragde
Viele Farben
Ist das der Grund ? Wo ist es ? Was ist über mir ?
Ich gehe wieder runter an die Oberfläche
Unter Wasser gibt es weniger Wörter
Jedes Wort ist eine Blase
Jede Blase ist ein Wort
Die Blasen versammeln sich in Formen
Die Formen sind Sätze
Ich weiß nicht wohin gehen.

5A Song: Sirènes (Fabricia Martins, Benoit Résillot, Giuseppe Molino, Sabrina Baldassara, Duncan Evennou, Ulla von Brandenburg)
original version

I saw a turtle
and I saw a big octopus passing.
A few mussels, a sea-star,
a funny rolled snake,
residents of a rock,
small gaudy fishes.
And an old plastic bottle, tins,
tires, a sunken boat.
Some joyful squids,
who wrote me their story.
We drive slalom together.
We are looking at each other.
I don’t know everybody.
I don’t know everybody.

I saw a flooded dishwasher,
which didn’t work any more.
Farewell- and love letters,
which ink faded away.
I came closer.
I saw fingerprints on a mirror
but it was a broken umbrella.

5B Song: Romance à l’étoile (everyone)

F, B, G, S, D (Mermaids): And you, what did you find?

L (Pierrot): I lost my love.

F, B, G, S, D (Mermaids):
How was your love?
Did you lose it long ago?

L (Pierrot):
She was shiny like a star
I gave her my hand
Without expecting anything
She stroked my hair.

L (Pierrot) + F, B, G, S, D (Mermaids):
With her wet hands
Her eyes so deep
Like this blue
Like this blue.

L (Pierrot):
My bright heart belongs to her
Pretty like a turtle
Seaweed dance with us this love dance like the air.

L (Pierrot) + F, B, G, S, D (Mermaids):
With her wet hands
Her eyes so deep
Like this blue
Like this blue.

F, B, G, S, D (Mermaids):
How beautiful! How wonderful!
We will search with you.


BACKSTAGE 2

6th Song (everyone)

F : Do you have a wife?
D : No I have a husband.
S : It’s the same. It’s good. Do you have children?
L : No.
G : Better!
B : I have a bird.
F : Wonderful!

When you’re almost dead
So you wake up
With a human body
And the head of an animal
Like the mermaids.

B : I told you.
G : I told you.
L : I don’t want.
S : I don’t want.
D : Did you see.
F : He is handsome.
B : He is really handsome.
G : Your turn.
L : Doesn’t matter.
S : We’re going together.
D : We have 3 valid tickets
B : I don’t believe it.
F : I’ll do its quickly
G : I wanted them
L : It’s hot
S : Now it’s good.
U (voice over) : I want to go in the forest.


AUF DER BÜHNE 2

7th Song: Chant des marionnettes (everyone)

Our actions are accepted and understood.
We are dancing with a lot of elegance.
Here is the place where we like to meet.
You are lucky to meet us.
We are skillful sisters.
Look at us, as you want.
You can dance with us.
Here everything is shared.
We welcome you.
There are not many resources.
We know the opportunities.
We are very clever.
We are all friends.
Come join us.
We can make you beautiful make-up.
With you we are not shy.
Everyone is available.
One for all. United for life.
There are many of us.
We give all we have.
We will go as far as you want.
If you love us, we love you too,
We love you too.