By Pauline Deneubourg Published on August 17, 2020
In the communal park, Luc Petit takes the people of Tournai on a journey through time, into the heart of their city’s history and folklore.
In this year of health crisis, the people of Tournai will not have the opportunity to celebrate the history of their city, its folklore, and its heritage. They will not thrill to the rhythm of their carnival, the four processions (Tournai en fête), or the grand Procession…
Luc Petit has succeeded in bringing together all these Tournaisian actors at the heart of his new creation “Tournai d’Été,” which invites the public on a journey through time.
“The idea was to bring together all these living forces of folklore, culture, and associations that could not experience their events due to Covid-19, but also to mend the Tournaisian population with its history, heritage, and cultural events,” notes the scriptwriter Loulou Godet. “It is in this spirit that the show retraces everything that makes up the city of Tournai and the heart of its people… blending historical past with folkloric and traditional elements.”
When folklore tells the story
From Clovis to Louis XIV, through the Crusaders Lethalde and Engelbert, the history of the city of the Five Bell Towers is (re)discovered through its giants, as if in an open book. Tournai is a historical city, but also folkloric: its Picard language honored by the Filles Celles Picardes, its carnival with its king and queen, its bells and carillon, its Lost Monday and its rabbit, its pyrotechnic artists, acrobats, tightrope walkers… Everything is enhanced by a magical sound and light setup, in the heart of this magical setting of the communal park.
“Personally, I was keen to highlight the giants because it was under my father’s impetus that they emerged from the sheds,” adds Luc Petit. “As elements of Tournai folklore, they allow us to tell the story. The giants may have lost some interest among the younger generation, and this show allows the people of Tournai to rediscover them and show them that these giants can come to life, can be part of modernity.”
The first post-Covid creation to maintain hope for artists
“Tournai d’Été” is the first post-Covid show in the region. “After several months of shutdown, and bleak prospects for the future, culture is dying, and personally, I felt I had to react,” insists Luc Petit. “Through this creation, I wanted to show people but also the authorities that it is possible to put on a show under conditions that are not simple, but that allow the public to dream a little in this difficult period, but also and above all to offer hope to artists and technicians, the forgotten ones of the crisis! And I am happy to see that ‘my’ city of Tournai, through its mayor, has agreed to support us in this project and set an example by allowing this show.”
A somewhat lost but happy audience
Reassured by the measures in place, the approximately 200 lucky spectators enjoyed this breath of fresh air, forgetting for a few moments the specter of Covid-19.
“The atmosphere was quite strange,” notes Luc Petit. “For the artists, it’s not easy to create interaction with the audience because of the distances between them and the spectators, but also between the spectators. They also can’t see the expressions and reactions of people who have to wear masks. We also feel that the audience has somewhat forgotten the codes of the show; they no longer know if they can stand up, applaud, interact with the artists… We need to continue offering shows to regain this connection with the audience and keep the flame alive.”
The city hall park hosts this “Tournai d’Été” show until Sunday, August 23, at 9:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. All performances are sold out, but a few tickets may become available again.
