In a labor camp, during war time, a guard watches a female prisoner whose tasks are to put in order, repair and wash clothes. The laundry room turns into a scene where they relate the story of several prisoners as they are on their uncertain way from the jail to the labor camp.
Jail’s Poetry is the adaptation of a text by Lutz Bassman (Antoine Volodine) for theater. This narrative poetry collection, entirely made of haikus, leads us into a micro society’s universe composed by colorful characters.
A female prisoner creates characters with clothes, unfolding the poetry collection’s story, what has happened and what is currently happening outside the laundry room. The guard makes her task difficult. A parallel story takes place, between the poetic narration, told and manipulated, and what happens between the prisoner and the guard, in real time. An adaptation of a powerful text, a universe as ingenious as smashing, in a unlikely mix of poetry, humour and horror.
Images that remind ISIS, Nazi camps or Boko Haram. An evocative play, without any break, as hard as can only be the last trip of the animals till the slaughterhouse: visceral.
Tommaso Chimenti, Recensito
Text
Lutz Bassmann
Director, lighting design
Vicky Côté
Scenography
Mylène Leboeuf-Gagné
Sound designer
Nicolas Letarte-Bersianik
Actors-pupeteers
Bruno Paradis, Vicky Côté
Voice
Luc Proulx
Photo credit
Patrick Simard, Sophie Châteauvert
