AN AWARANESS OF THEATRICALITY

“Being touched by the theatricality of the story”

With the Plateau, there is a form of theatricality of the story, more precisely: a collective awareness of the theatricality of the story in composition that really touched me. – Marcel Beaulieu

BRINGING OUT YOU CHARACTER TO CONFRONT THE STORY

“On the Plateau, I’m immersed in this character who overwhelms me”

Many writers are afraid to confront their characters. There are many characters within us, a thousand of them!: extreme characters, violent ones, gentle ones, lovers, disappointed ones. During the Plateau, we bring out these characters. These characters that we have trouble facing, that we don’t always want to hear. Here, the character is in front of me, and it touches me. I’m no longer just overwhelmed, I’m immersed in this character, and it overwhelms me. – Marcel Beaulieu

COLLECTIVE MEMORY TO COMPOSE AND SHARE THE STORY

“Each character comes from thousands of characters who want to tell stories, through us”

With the Plateau, a character emerges instantly, beyond me. Collective memory is fundamental. Each character comes from thousands of characters who want to tell stories, through us. What moved me about the Plateau were these objects that have their own life, that have had their own life. And now it’s up to each of them to compose a story with what has been brought back from who knows where, from a thousand-year-old past or the recent past. There is, then, a real connection with the character and an irresistible desire to see, observe, experience, and share: how this story will be understood by others… Marcel Beaulieu

TOUCHING THE STORY THAT TRANSCEND US

“The texture of things is like the texture of ideas”

On the Plateau, we move through space, particularly through back-and-forth movements, while walking: we have the feeling of being part of something bigger, with the possibility of touching elements and seeing some of these elements communicate with us. It’s like when we see a beautiful tree, we want to run our hands over it to touch it, to feel its texture. The texture of things is like the texture of ideas. Massimiliano Nardulli

COMPOSING THE STORY IN UNISON

“Le Plateau: the most collective and collaborative of the three experiences”

Le Plateau is certainly the most collective and collaborative of the three experiences. We managed to complement each other, with our different visions, in a very natural way. And even though we followed a common thread guided by one of us, we were in unison. The orchestra played in unison, we were very well in tune! – Massimiliano Nardulli

THE OBJECT TO BOOST IMAGINATION

“The object compels! It has a direct connection to the real world and to the story being constructed.”

It’s fascinating to see how a small detail can truly change so many things and, thus, create possibilities. On the Plateat, it’s like entering the Camera Obscura again, in full light, with people around. The object compels, not necessarily intellectually, us to be pragmatic and to generate precise narrative elements, with a direct connection to the real world or to the past or future of the story being composed. Using this object and integrating it into the story is a way to explore other avenues. The Plateau allows us to fish, peacefully and collectively, in the recesses of ourselves, within memories, within ideas. It’s a lot of imagination multiplied tenfold. – Massimiliano Nardulli

IMPROVISATION AS A RUPTURE: A MULTIPLIED FORCE OF CRETION

“Nothing is imposed, and this leaves room for improvisation”

The Plateau offers the opportunity to glimpse things, to imagine, and to play with this essential, unforeseen aspect. Within the Plateau, we can be asked or decide for ourselves to initiate an action, different or similar to those of others. Nothing is imposed, and this leaves room for improvisation. Improvisation is always synonymous with creativity and possibilities: a sort of rupture with our system of reasoning, which creates a multiplied force of creation and possibilities. – Massimiliano Nardulli

THE NARRATIVE IS LIKE A LARGE LIVING TABLEAU TO EXPERIENCE AND EXPLORE

“The Plateau allows us to visualize and connect the characters, spatializing them within the narrative timeframe.”

In the Cave, we are at the stage of paper manipulation, of somewhat conceptual things. On the Plateau, we move on to embodiment, with the selection of objects by individuals and in trios, then involving contributors to embody these characters. By placing the objects and the witness-figures in space and connecting them with cords to see the connections, the Plateau allows us to visualize the characters and spatialize them within the narrative timeframe, establishing their positions in the present, past, or future of the narrative: a large living tableau to explore and unfold! – Violette Garcia

STORYTELLING THROUGH MOVEMENT

“On the Plateau, we build a world live, together”

On the Plateau, we quickly manage to connect, as three minds, with this rare feeling of truly developing an imagination, together: building a world live, together. Within the Plateau, we overcome this kind of modesty or barrier that prevents us from externalizing and therefore embodying. By exploring with the body, the story becomes much more spontaneous, freer, more organic. The collective imagination is ultra-stimulated when we are in movement and when we perform. The Plateau has this playful approach, essential to this precise phase of storytelling research. – Violette Garcia

INFINITY AS THE FOUNDATION OF THE STORY 

“On the Plateau, because we can invent what makes sense to us, we open ourselves to infinite possibilities.”

When I studied psychology, I took a course on Sandplay therapy, which is based on Jung’s theory of symbols. The table we set up to introduce The Plateau reminds me of its configuration. At first, we arrange objects while trying to give them meaning, and it’s not easy. But through Sandplay therapy, it works. Thus, a piece of wood can become a soldier or a gooseberry can become gold; the possibilities are endless. And because we can invent what makes sense to us, we open ourselves to infinite possibilities. The props give us boundaries, so we don’t get lost in the infinite possibilities of the story, and this gives shape to the story. – Raitis Ābele

PLAYING TO COMPOSE THE STORY, AS A COMMON THREAD

“With our own movements: we move with these objects and the characters come to life”

On the Plateau, we question the objects in relation to what we brought and assembled in the Cave and nurtured in the Black Room. The process of connection initiated in the Cave allows us to co-create, as a common thread. These objects help to make these characters more physical and to imagine more interactions with others. With our own movements: we move with these objects and the characters come to life. From the beginning of the Plateau to the end, we rediscover a rare sense of play, and thanks to everyone’s participation, there is no longer a single leader or author. We all co-create together, bringing a shared story to life. – Isla Badenoch

CHAOS TO BREAK DOWN THE STORY

“It was absolutely fascinating what a story can be constructed in a short time, with tiny, simple, even banal elements.”

It’s absolutely fascinating what can be constructed in a short time, with tiny, simple, even banal elements. We describe an object very directly: what is it, what color is it: it’s like a thread that slowly unravels until a given moment, where two different directions emerge. I don’t know if the word “explosive” is appropriate, but it’s as if everything explodes within the Plateau, and then we pick up the pieces to put them back together! A kind of total chaos unfolding in a space with witnesses, and several chaotic situations. A character is interviewed, and the writers try to make sense of different spaces and times for this multifaceted character… From the chaos, very deep connections are born for the story. Gabrielle Brady

THE OBJECT AND THE BODY AS A BINDING ELEMENTS OF THE NARRATIVE

“The brain integrates the object into its organism, like an organ, like an extension of the body.”

At the level of the bodily inscription of the mind – when you give a cane to a blind person, the tip of their body stops at the rubber end of the cane. That is to say, the brain will integrate the object into its organism, like an organ, like an extension of the body. This is extended and embodied cognition.

Yves Sarfati