ASTRAT – Contemporary juggling show in Saint-Fons

Le 29 april 2027 at 20:00

ASTRAT is a contemporary juggling show conceived and performed by Carlo Cerato, presented on Thursday, April 29, 2027 at 8 p.m. at the Théâtre Jean Marais in Saint-Fons, Rhône. Programmed with UTOPISTES – Cité Internationale des Arts du Cirque as part of the utoPistes festival, this 1 hour 15 minute solo performance offers a unique experience at the crossroads of circus, electronic music, video, fashion, and visual arts.

With ASTRAT, Carlo Cerato envisions juggling as an abstract art. Here, it's not simply about throwing and catching objects or striving for technical prowess. The juggler composes with shapes, colors, movements, and materials to create veritable living tableaux. The stage becomes a space for experimentation in which the body, objects, light, and sound evolve and transform together.

Throughout the performance, Carlo Cerato explores two fundamental elements of juggling: gravity and light. Objects are thrown, moved, suspended, or set in motion while lighting alters their appearance and our perception of space. The viewer is thus invited to observe familiar physical phenomena in a new light.

Costumes and transformable sets also play a significant role in the performance. The juggler's body can extend into a costume, disappear behind a form, or merge with the objects he manipulates. The boundaries between the artist, the juggling prop, and the stage design gradually become blurred.

Electronic music, sound objects, video, and lighting design accompany this exploration. These elements are not simply a backdrop for the juggling; they directly contribute to the composition of the performance. Movements, sounds, colors, and visual transformations interact to construct a constantly evolving sensory universe.

The objects themselves become true protagonists. Carlo Cerato is interested in their material, weight, shape, and movement, and how they can alter the juggler's posture or appearance. ASTRAT thus celebrates the relationship between human beings and matter, while questioning our need to systematically seek a function or meaning in the things that surround us.

This research gives rise to a contemplative, surprising, and visually striking spectacle that leaves ample room for the audience's imagination. ASTRAT notably champions a form of "beauty of the useless": observing a movement, a color, or an object simply for what it produces on stage, without necessarily trying to attribute a story to it.

The show reveals a particularly creative facet of contemporary juggling, far removed from traditional circus acts. Virtuosity remains, but it becomes a tool serving an artistic and visual exploration that blends juggling, sound composition, lighting, costumes, and set design.

The production brings together several artists and technicians around Carlo Cerato: Françoise Léger for costumes, Mathilda Bouttau for lighting design, Louen Poppé for sound objects and sound engineering, Mathis Brunet-Bahut for set design, and Johan Swartvagher in the role of "gallery owner." Administration, production, and distribution are handled by the STP Collective.

ASTRAT notably benefits from the support of the French Institute within the framework of the Nouveau Grand Tour program. The project is linked to numerous contemporary circus and artistic creation structures, including Circusnext, UTOPISTES – Cité Internationale des Arts du Cirque, Le Vellein – Scènes de la CAPI, the Théâtre La Mouche, the École de Cirque de Lyon, Les SUBS, the Espace Périphérique – La Villette, AY-ROOP, the Théâtre de Cusset, the Festival des 7 Collines, Cirko Vertigo and the Château de Monthelon.

Alongside the performance, the Théâtre Jean Marais, in partnership with La Tribu du TJM, is also offering a "Juggling & Materials" workshop, taking place on April 12, 13, 15, and 16, 2027, from 2 pm to 4 pm at the CAP – Centre d'art de Saint-Fons. This workshop provides an immersive experience into the artistic world of ASTRAT, allowing participants to experiment with creating objects and costumes, as well as exploring movement, light, shadows, colors, and materials.

Suitable for ages 7 and up, ASTRAT appeals to both juggling and contemporary circus enthusiasts and spectators curious about visual arts, sound creations, and experimental stage forms. It's an original way to discover how juggling can become something to see, hear, and feel.

Practical information: ASTRAT will be presented on Thursday, April 29, 2027, at 8:00 PM at the Théâtre Jean Marais, 59 rue Carnot, 69190 Saint-Fons (69). The show lasts 1 hour and 15 minutes and is suitable for ages 7 and up. Ticket prices range from €5 to €15 depending on the category and package. Two school performances are also scheduled for April 27 and 30, 2027, at 2:30 PM.

• Réservation officielle
• Page officielle du spectacle
• Site du Théâtre Jean Marais
• Billetterie du Théâtre Jean Marais

ASTRAT