Candide (Voltaire) 2022
Adaptation Du Conte Philosophique De Voltaire
We live, according to Voltaire’s idealist philosopher Pangloss, ‘in the best of all possible worlds’. His naïve pupil Candide is precipitated on a round-the-world tour of glamorous locations. Bigotry, exploitation, oppression, natural and man-made disasters, rape and rapacity, virulence and violence greet him almost everywhere, as he ploughs resolutely on in search of his increasingly distant and despoiled object of desire, Cunégonde. Sacré’s 2022 production turns Candide’s encounter with hell and high water into a musical tour de faiblesse, buoyed up by a dexterous chaos of bodies, a plethora of pomposity and panache, a Babel of languages and a scintillating live soundtrack of suitably adapted world music. In the end, there is little doubt that VOLTAIRE AVAIT RAISON. Or, as he put it: Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities. Any similarity with current political situations is entirely fortuitous.
CAST
Voltaire/narrator – Erwann Limon
Candide – Dom Heafield
Cunégonde – Grace Appleby
Pangloss – Ilse Renaudie
Cacambo – Mae Duval
Pâquette – Zoe Booyse
Le Baron – Roger Baines
La Baronne / Reine d’Eldorado - Dani Limon
Le Fils du baron – Rayane Benkirane
La Vieille – Claudine Tourniaire
Le Chambellan, Jacques – Frédéric Dessard
Martin – Ralph Yarrow
2 sergents, général et subalterne, 2 Oreillons – Beth Love, Katie Trollope
Issacar – Wendy Smith
L’inquisiteur – Tim Tracey
Le général et le subalterne – Beth Love, Katie Trollope
Les corsaires – Beth Love, Katie Trollope
Cacambo – Mae Duval
Le gouverneur – Wendy Smith
Deux oreillons – Beth Love, Katie Trollope
Indigènes et berger – Reece Bond, Zoe Boyse, Beth Love, Katie Trollope, Gus Watson
La Reine d’Eldorado – Dani Limon
L’esclave – Reece Bond
Martin – Ralph Yarrow
Giroflée – Gus Watson
Pococuranté – Gordon Turner
Rois – Gus Watson, Zoe Boyse, Gordon Turner,
Wendy Smith, Julia Hook, Reece Bond
Le patron de la galère – Julia Hook
CREW
Direction – Ralph Yarrow, Erwann Limon, Claudine Tourniaire
Production manager – Claudine Tourniaire
Publicity and schools liaison – Roger Baines, Sharon Black, Claudine Tourniaire
Website – Roger Baines
Lighting operator – Anna Menzel
Costumes and sets – Julia Hook
Musical direction – Bob and Suzie Hanna, Erwann Limon
Music - Bob and Suzie Hanna
Poster – Elise Limon
Programme – Claudine Tourniaire
Photos – Andi Sapey
Film – Phil Stewart
Ushers – Millie Coker, Nicole Dangarembizi, Precious Ojo, Bénédicte Rebouillat, Nerice Ryan, Ethan Tester
Thanks to Tim Lawrence-Cave, James Sawrey-Cookson, Rob Little.
Click below to hear the cast singing two of the songs from the production
