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Céline Delcroix
Published on August 16, 2020
“Tournai d’été,” directed by Tournai native Luc Petit, is the first post-Covid event in the region. For ten evenings, artists traverse the folklore of Tournai with poetry. A breath of fresh air in this sector severely affected by the health crisis. “The first evening went very well!” Luc Petit told us Saturday morning. “It’s a different experience, with people wearing masks, being separated, unable to sit next to each other… People have lost the codes of the show and are lost. They don’t even know if they can applaud. It’s a strange feeling. We lost a lot in four to five months. The artists were of course happy to be back, even if they are tired of fighting.” The director sincerely thanks “the city for accepting this event and for having the will to prove that we can put on a show while respecting the measures.”
Luc Petit continues, bitter: “For me, it’s high time that virologists come see what a show is and what we can do! I’m fed up with them analyzing without coming to see for themselves, and I’m tired of culture being killed.”
This show in the Hôtel de Ville park brings the giants of Tournai back to life. “Perhaps it’s a way to bring together heritage in 2020, in a modern way. It’s freedom! People see the giants and realize the importance of folklore in a city steeped in history like Tournai. The giants have always been in procession, and it’s an event that attracts fewer and fewer people. In this show, we see the giants evolve in a story, they come to life!”
This show brings together the local heritage as a whole. “The coronavirus will have at least served to bring together people who don’t usually gather. It’s the first time that the procession, the carnival, the processions, the giants, the Filles Celles Picardes, and many others participate together in the same event.”
400 SPECTATORS PER EVENING
The public was charmed by the show. Pauline Sente attended the premiere, which she enjoyed very much. “The location is great, it allows people to (re)discover this park. The sound and light effects were also good and highlighted the place. We appreciated that there were quite a few local actors like the dancers from Danses & Cie, the giants… It’s a show made by Tournai residents, for Tournai residents! It tells the story of Tournai and we learn things. The sets and costumes were very beautiful, and the visuals were magnificent.”
This is one of the first events organized in Tournai. “People were happy to be there, for this free event, in the city. It’s nice to be in the city center and it’s great to grab a bite to eat or have a drink before or after the show. It supports the Horeca sector and it’s positive. We had a pleasant evening.”
The ten evenings are already fully booked. “We had to limit the number of spectators to 200 per show, and reservations were quickly filled. We will release about twenty available seats per session, you will have to check on the Facebook page ‘Tournai d’été!’ which redirects to the booking site.”
AN ALLEGORICAL OVERVIEW OF THE HISTORY OF TOURNAI
The text narrated during the performances was written by the Tournai native, Loulou Godet, a well-known figure in the region. “The goal, with Luc Petit, was to highlight as many actors from the Tournai cultural sector as possible. The story told incorporates many typical elements of our city. We allude to Tournai’s historical past, while incorporating folkloric and traditional elements but without pretending to give a history lesson, but rather a remake of History.
We make small zooms, talking about the Franks, kings, the plague, we link Alice in Wonderland’s rabbit and the lost Monday rabbit… We don’t hesitate to jump from one century to another without explanation; it’s truly something very poetic and allegorical. You have to imagine a child dreaming about his city in a way,” explains Loulou Godet.
“In the staging, the story is narrated by the giant Louis XVIII, whose voice was lent by Jean-Paul Dermont, a very well-known French actor. This giant, also called ‘the porcelain mender,’ corresponds to our desire to mend people with their origins and cultural events that could not take place due to the current sanitary conditions. Then, the mender is a guy from the street, whom everyone has heard of. We wanted it to not be a historical figure narrating the story since we don’t necessarily follow History,” he continues.
A CRY FROM THE CULTURAL SECTOR
“We integrated the giants of Tournai and their brave bearers, Les Filles Celles Picardes, the Cabaret Wallon, the Danse & Cie troupe, bell ringers, stilt walkers, pyrotechnicians, etc. We see that everyone is very motivated and feels deeply connected as Tournaisians.
During rehearsals, all the actors had smiles on their faces and didn’t hesitate if a scene needed to be repeated,” Loulou continues. “There are almost only volunteers; everyone gives their time for free, and we are very lucky to have them. They are not professionals, but almost…,” he adds.
“Our intention, in addition to mending the population, is also to raise a cry, an S.O.S., from the cultural sector. We are professionals, let us find solutions!” he exclaims.
If the bet was not won in advance, Luc Petit and Loulou Godet have proven that it was possible to organize events despite the difficult conditions.
