Visual Poems is a charming show, filling every corner of the stage with an unusual virtuosity, the result of many years of work. On stage a series of simple letters come to life but thanks to great mastery and handling these convert gestures into verse and verse into emotion.
The show is inspired in the magic of the poems of Catalan poet Joan Brossa, borrowing from the magnetism of Brossa’s alphabet, a game of letters with which the poet illustrates his visual poetics.
Visual Poems starts with musician-actor playing the role of a poet; he is carrying a suitcase full of letters made of foam and he starts to play their sounds and shapes, discovering that the letters can be used to create poetry without the need to construct words.
With his guitar and songs, he establishes a warm relationship with the letters that come alive, creating a universe full of characters, choreographies, humor, and drama to show that letters are not just for filling up papers and computers but rather that they can also create a sensitive world of breathtaking simplicity.
The letters, operated by sticks on a table, come alive and transform as the show moves forward: the E becomes a dog that plays with a child, which is the I. A Y and a “U” create a rhythmic dance and a simple “T”, a trampolinist.
Visual Poems is a charming show, filling every corner of the stage with an unusual virtuosity, the result of many years of work. On stage a series of simple letters come to life but thanks to great mastery and handling these convert gestures into verse and verse into emotion.
The show is inspired in the magic of the poems of Catalan poet Joan Brossa, borrowing from the magnetism of Brossa’s alphabet, a game of letters with which the poet illustrates his visual poetics.
L’espectacle s’inspira en la màgia dels poemes visuals del poeta català Joan Brossa, prenent en préstec el magnetisme de l’abecedari brossià, el joc de lletres amb el que el poeta il•lustrava la seva poètica visual.
Visual Poems starts with musician-actor playing the role of a poet; he is carrying a suitcase full of letters made of foam and he starts to play their sounds and shapes, discovering that the letters can be used to create poetry without the need to construct words.
With his guitar and songs, he establishes a warm relationship with the letters that come alive, creating a universe full of characters, choreographies, humor, and drama to show that letters are not just for filling up papers and computers but rather that they can also create a sensitive world of breathtaking simplicity.
The letters, operated by sticks on a table, come alive and transform as the show moves forward: the E becomes a dog that plays with a child, which is the I. A Y and a “U” create a rhythmic dance and a simple “T”, a trampolinist.
The scene is played out directly before the audience, bathed with delicate lighting effects; the action is accompanied by vocals and guitar.
The handling is performed in sight of the spectator: the relationship between the puppeteer and the object brings about a studied, precise and technically perfect choreography.
The show is constructed via sketches, a virtuoso performance the results of hours and hours of practice, years of experience: each movement, each pause, have been studied to perfection to make the characters, the letters made from foam, reach a level of warmth and poetics that is difficult to find on any of stage.
This is a visual show in which live music, movement, minor disputes and poetic gestures are the strings that make for this international quality show.
The scene is played out directly before the audience, bathed with delicate lighting effects; the action is accompanied by vocals and guitar.
The handling is performed in sight of the spectator: the relationship between the puppeteer and the object brings about a studied, precise and technically perfect choreography.
The show is constructed via sketches, a virtuoso performance the results of hours and hours of practice, years of experience: each movement, each pause, have been studied to perfection to make the characters, the letters made from foam, reach a level of warmth and poetics that is difficult to find on any of stage.
This is a visual show in which live music, movement, minor disputes and poetic gestures are the strings that make for this international quality show.
Author and director
Jordi Bertran
Creation of the show
Santi Arnal, Karin Schafer, Toni Zafra, Zilda Torres, Miquel Gallardo i Jordi Bertran
Performers
Isabel Martinez, Jordi Bertran i Eduardo Telletxea *
Costumes
Ma. Dolors Fernández
Photography
Mireia Margenat
Graphic design
Miquel Llach
Production
* In alternation with: Pau Murner, Miquel Nevado, Toni Ubach, David Zuazola i Ines Alarcon.
Author and director
Jordi Bertran
Creation of the show
Santi Arnal, Karin Schafer, Toni Zafra, Zilda Torres, Miquel Gallardo i Jordi Bertran
Performers
Isabel Martinez, Jordi Bertran i Eduardo Telletxea *
Costumes
Ma. Dolors Fernández
Photography
Mireia Margenat
Graphic design
Miquel Llach
Production
* In alternation with: Pau Murner, Miquel Nevado, Toni Ubach, David Zuazola i Ines Alarcon.
Cannes – França
1994
Prize of the Juror
Festival International de la Marionnette
Vall d’Albaida – València
1995
Prize to the best spectacle
Mostra Internacional de Titelles
Kingersheim – França
1999
Prize of the Juror
MOMIX. Festival de Marionnettes
Polònia
2002
Prize to the best spectacle
Torun International Puppet Theater’s Festival
Polònia
2002
Prize to the best interpretation
Torun International Puppet Theater’s Festival
Polònia
2002
Prize of the Juror to the best company
Torun International Puppet Theater’s Festival
Ljubeljana – Eslovènia
2004
Awards
VII Festival International de LUTKE
Sofia – Bulgària
2006
Awards
IV International Festival for Puppet Theater PUPPET FAIR
França
2007
Prize to the best spectacle
L´Association Culturelle du Theâtre Dofin Argenté
Varsovia – Polònia
2011
Prize to the best interpretation
Torun International Puppet Theater’s Festival
Cannes – França
1994
Prize of the Juror
Festival International de la Marionnette
Vall d’Albaida – València
1995
Prize to the best spectacle
Mostra Internacional de Titelles
Kingersheim – França
1999
Prize of the Juror
MOMIX. Festival de Marionnettes
Polònia
2002
Prize to the best spectacle
Torun International Puppet Theater’s Festival
Polònia
2002
Prize to the best interpretation
Torun International Puppet Theater’s Festival
Polònia
2002
Prize of the Juror to the best company
Torun International Puppet Theater’s Festival
Ljubeljana – Eslovènia
2004
Awards
VII Festival International de LUTKE
Sofia – Bulgària
2006
Awards
IV International Festival for Puppet Theater PUPPET FAIR
França
2007
Prize to the best spectacle
L´Association Culturelle du Theâtre Dofin Argenté
Varsovia – Polònia
2011
Prize to the best interpretation
Torun International Puppet Theater’s Festival
