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ISLANDS OF STORM
Auteur : The Ivorian Bernard Binlin DADIE
Director : Sidiki BAKABA Photos - Interviews. - DISTRIBUTION
.Bienvenu NEBA
.Sidiki BAKABA
.BEUGRE Djepp
.Cécile PANGO
.LEZIN Olivier
.Mickaël DANON
.Gilles BEBLO
.Blaise KOUADIO
.SIDIBE Moussa
.ACTOR'STUDIO
- PRODUCTION : Ayala BAKABA - THE HISTORY
Completed August 31, 1971, this historical drama in seven scenes has never been represented.
It follows two years another tragedy also thoroughly historical, Beatrice of Congo. From one to another, changing the mainland, moving from Africa to America, the theme of conquest and enslavement of Africa, the enslavement of its people through Europe White -- enslavement which contributed by naive, weak or selfish interests, some African leaders, the theme of slavery lived on the land of the New World "hell for some, heaven for others" and rejected by people aware of their immense dignity of 'men. This dignity, they will say that the price of a painful struggle, which certainly does not stop at the end of the drama and the historical period represented in the room, as shown by its open structure and wealth of readings it contains.
This quest for dignity moreover also concerned man of Europe, as evidenced by the first table on which opens the drama and especially the final parallel drawn between the victim and the executioner which opens the drama and especially the final parallel drawn between the victim and the executioner, Toussaint Louverture, the hero of Saint Domingue and Napoleon Bonaparte, the island of Corsica, First Consul, Consul for life, then Emperor of the French. The storm of change they were one and the other carriers was unfortunately arrested for the second barrier to the color and interest of the great French capital, which does not allow him to recognize when he had taken, the accuracy of the struggle of blacks in St. Domingue. Also they do they will face the victorious armies of France even when this nation asserting carrier values of freedom, equality and fraternity, is again hardly revolutionary closed parenthesis, and with virtually same men, "colonial power".
All the drama is rooted in the recorded history of the seventeenth to early nineteenth century the French colony on the island of Santo Domingo until the eve of independence (late 1803). Beyond this story, where for the first time "the négraille began unexpectedly standing, this drama offers a remarkable insight into the colonial relationship, and neo-or post-colonial states of the West, France in the this case, have maintained and continue to maintain with the United States and foreign nations to their way of civilization.
Nicole VINCILEONI
- PRESENTATION BY THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE PALACE OF CULTURE OF ABIDJAN
What great men were behind the independence of the first black republic? What are his heroes who braved the guns and carried the torch of freedom?
In the collective memory a name that resounds through time and is inscribed in gold letters: Toussaint Louverture. The Liberator, the general who led the first and last true great successful slave revolt in history, in Santo Domingo in 1802. Whoever inflicted on Napoleon Bonaparte's first defeat.
Since 1789, the story is tossed like a wave that makes the pitch time and move the fates. In Montreal, the men loosed their chains. The Bastille was taken. A new order reigns without satisfy the desire of some power of monarchs and all those who still believe in the inequality of races and make expansionist dreams of domination, leading to a rush settlements.
In the French colonies such as Saint Domingue, slavery is still in season, although it was abolished. Language whips creates resentment and rebellion. Eternal dialectic of master and slave. And the cry of oppressed peoples is heard. And the deep soul of Africa, which aspires to freedom weeps bitterly in all its bearings drums and chants. The instrument and the song being reclaimed when one of their primary function inherited from distant Africa that escapes the understanding of the settlers: that of being messengers, the uprising here. And at the center of the drama is the people, everywhere.
In 1802, however, Santo Domingo tipped the course of history. The omnipotence of settlers collapses like a house of cards. Because, years ago, the chance of birth had caused two men to the islands opposite fates, two storms, at the height of their greatness were to mark the progress of the world: Toussaint Louverture, the liberator and Napoleon Bonaparte , the conqueror.
"Giving back memories and pride in mine! That self-respecting negro! (...) Produce! Produce for export and demonstrate that we are major, such are the ambitions of Toussaint Louverture dreaming of having finally managed to unite the races in a harmonious mosaic, honestly and naively believing the good offices and the recognition of General Bonaparte. The First Consul, meanwhile, dreams only of returning to the old order: the restoration of slavery and eventual conquest of America as "the Republic is not a game for children and even less a game for Negroes. "Some would say today that" Africa is not ready for democracy. "...
Thus, the pages of history marching into seven small paintings depicting scenes often simultaneous major moments of this tragedy which has the spark of freedom.
Here, the aesthetic choice of staging his return to the theater real language. This being an art convention. Hence the performance that the director requires actors in the composition of their characters. So that black actors embodying whites. Like an actor can represent multiple characters, and an actress could play the roles of men.
Before the curtain falls on this great work throughout which emerges a remarkable delicacy of language, coupled with consummate art of irony and relying on a perfect portrayal of characters, the end of Toussaint Louverture and the Napoleon Bonaparte is admirably put in parallel. One was deported to Fort de Joux, the other being exiled to St. Helena. The hero and anti-hero, so to say, both died in solitude.
Published in 1973, "Storm Island" which is the first creation is the meeting of the dramatic writing of Bernard Dadi and writing aesthetic director Sidiki Bakaba, making it a theatrical company that offers exquisite.
Viewed in the current context, this work is more powerful than its political theme unveiled at more than one root of evil in the Ivorian crisis.
Sidiki Bakaba
- PORTRAITS Actors
On board the Palace of Culture in Abidjan since February 2, 2007, the great historical epic that is part "Storm Island" by Bernard Dadi, directed by Sidiki Bakaba has ceased to be applauded . This performance was unanimously praised the work of collective actors whose principal with their vision of the play.
- Welcome NEBA
Promotionnaire of Sidiki Bakaba, Welcome Néba is a major theater in Côte d'Ivoire. We do this more. He is a trainer who has trained several generations of actors to become INSAAC INA. There is to date the Ivorian comedian who worked on most parts Dadié Togognini since 1966. A few years ago, he wanted to climb Islands storm but the means did not follow. Besides trade, he has the advantage of being close to Sidiki Bakaba, the director and Bernard Dadi, the playwright. He said: "Bernard Dadi is a leading playwrights of the Ivory Coast. And it's always a pleasure working with him. He is a gentleman who has a pen rather tight and we did find that after several readings (...). It is a play based on a true story, on cross, investigations. So we must be careful interpretation. Even if the date part of 36 years, it is timely. The struggle of the inhabitants of Santo Domingo yesterday, Haitians, it is our struggle today. The reasons why these people have been fought are the same reasons for which we fought and the Ivory Coast is in the position it has today. It is a play more than ever today. The character of Du Rocher incarnate that does not impress me particularly because in my opinion is someone who is rather removed in history. There are celebrities in history, including Napoleon and Toussaint Louverture. These are roles that appeal. It is on them that turns the room. Other characters come to enable them to exist. As an actor, I go into the clothes of the character that the director gives. Sometimes I make films, but I found the theater more noble because in theater, when we opened the curtain, you are delivered to you and you struggle to the end. It's all day like that. You are facing the same situation. It's like a football match. You have an opponent and you can not predict the outcome. You are aware of only one thing: you must win. It's exciting. "
- Sidiki Bakaba
Over 40 years of business and talent to spare. But for him, talent is nothing without work. It does not Sidiki Bakaba. His name alone is a symbol of excellence. This artist is never the same from one room to another. As if that did not lend his fleshly envelope to the multitude of characters in it, take the life time of a performance. Islands of Storm offers him another opportunity to travel the public. It embodies Toussaint Louverture. It was Toussaint Louverture. A charismatic heroes, both courageous, strong, unrelenting, passionate and disillusioned. A human despite his greatness. At least the face that Sidiki Bakaba made this character about whom he says: "Toussaint Louverture is one of those great men who marked the history of the world. At the time when the drama unfolds in 1802, he is General. He is black, descended from slaves. It was then groom check settlers. It was an excellent rider. He found himself at the head of blacks in St. Domingue. He wanted, as he says, to restore the pride and memories to blacks. He loved his people. It will even send men to Bolivia to help Simon Bolivar to liberate Colombia. He was ready to build a true nation uniting blacks, whites, mulattos. He was impressed with the fundamentals of the French revolution: liberty, equality, fraternity. For him and his companions, there is no reason why they do not have their autonomy. However, the opposite of Dessalines, Petion and others it does not detach itself completely from the France. He loves the France of the revolution. He believes. He loves and admires Bonaparte. But he is a victim of its sincerity towards France. Betrayed by her, he will end his days in prison, deported to Fort de Joux. He has loved France, but did not really know that within a cell. Toussaint Louverture, like all great men, something intriguing, elusive. This is not an ordinary person. Moreover, in 1802 General who is not willing, let alone a descendant of a slave. I love this character. We can not in any way well make a character that if we learn to love, to know. There is some madness in all these great men of power. There is a complex character who makes just his complex approach. This becomes a challenge. And I like challenges. Sometimes I feel compassion for him. It could have independence. He did not see the trap coming. It was certainly a visionary but he was blinded by his love for France. He would not divide the land, even though he wanted his brothers continue to work as then the settlers, to show the world they were able to develop their nation. After the independence of Haiti, it has naturally drawn a certain aristocratic descendants of the original Generals, next to a people and poor peasant majority. My work as an actor is in fact to give life, body and voice to Toussaint Louverture, to lend me. In doing so, I can not help to bring some of the pioneers of our independence, who like him were opposed. Bonaparte towards the end of his life recognizing that their time had been dominated by two great generals: he and Toussaint Louverture. Dadi told Toussaint, at the time of his arrest, a very significant sentence that illustrates the vision of this great figure: Pausing you only shot the tree of liberty in Saint Domingue, but the roots will grow back because they are numerous and profound. "
- Cecile PANGO
Cecile Pango is not strictly following the Actor Studio, however it is very close. She began her affair with art at the National Higher Institute of Arts and Cultural Action (INSAAC), where she spent two years at the Conservatory before turning to cinema and theater. In "Islands of Storm, it easily passes the role of the slight woman, the prostitute, to the greater of Madame du Rocher. His reading of the play and the characters' psychology is relevant: "It is a piece of news, compared to what we have crossed into Ivory Coast and from Africa (...) . Ms. Du Rocher is the wife of a settler who tries to make a name in high society. It is first Durocher. He made a little money through the slave trade. It ennobling. It is like the settlers who, in Saint-Domingue, have built their fortunes on the sweat and blood of slaves. In doing so, Madame du Rocher hates blacks. But it takes advantage of them, for they shall refer it to justify the wealth and social status. She is a woman who blames himself for nothing and assume the whole complex of superiority of race. It shares the ideas of her husband. This piece is not racist, it simply puts the bare class differences. Camper these characters, I am opening myself to the reality of sentimental Westerners. Put myself in the shoes of a white woman is trying to understand their state of mind vis-à-vis blacks.
- Mickaël DANON
A strong emphasis Anglo-Saxon. An air snob, borrowed in the gait and bearing. A very British aristocratic elegance. All these effects of composition which uses Mickaël Danon characters to embody some English subjects to serve the crown of England in "Islands of Storm. Her seductive game does not surprise when you consider he has shined in the role of truculent Topitopi in part "We need America." His talent shows a steady increase. The first class of the Actor Studio Abidjan, he feels the theater at home. It has a high opinion of the gift of self, of personal sacrifice. His friends call him 'Young Samurai'. Outside the theater, he would have married a career as a weapon in an elite corps. What he loves more than anything in the theater is open to culture and the world. With a real gift for singing and music, the melody has some words of text. For him, this play is also a meeting with Haiti. And it goes further: "Islands of Storm, is a part that makes me work. Camper several characters at once, a lot of attention and research. It also requires to excel, to provide benchmarks relative to a particular character in the composition of voice, body, and can find them in time. It's rewarding because the director gives us the opportunity to explode. When I add my music research, I can say that this piece helps me out of myself. "
- BEUGRE Djepp
A role not least that of Dessalines counted among those embodied Beugré Djepp, one of the first fruits of the Actor Studio Abidjan. Nice build. Determined and clinging to the idea of completely getting rid of links with the metropolis for complete independence. All this is trying to highlight in his game this young actor who, like everyone in his class, has proven in many designs including "We need America," where he plays the character of Opolo. Beugré Djepp is the love of art since his childhood. Moreover, one of his joys is to care for children, toddlers. He has a frankness of tone and sound horror of lightness. Islands storm is a challenge for him, as evidenced by his reflections: "It is a historical play written by a monument to African literature, Bernard Dadi. It's a real honor for someone who began his career be facing such a challenge and end up elsewhere on the stage with the great. Then there is the fact that this play written in 1971 is created for the first time. It is timely. Dessalines was a major figure in the history of Haiti. The 1st President of Haiti following the groundwork laid by Toussaint Louverture. This character represents for me today in Côte d'Ivoire who simply demand total independence. Do not depend on anyone, living and working with others. It is a great role and I try to analyze the real historical character make it better through his qualities, his faults, his weaknesses. It is an ongoing work and not easy. But I know I'm an actor. "
- Gbesse ADJI
Mustache neatly trimmed. Back stiff, stilted approach, however, accommodating a certain flexibility to sacrifice good manners. A tailor-diction. Firmness and tone of mocking police authority and confident of its investigations. It is the Commissioner. One of the characters embodied ably Gbesse Adji who in his childhood, also dreamed of becoming a pilot or a profession or discipline is required. This young actor from the first brood from the Actor Studio is doing its path. He further distinguished this year's festival Ymalé gleaning the award for best directing. In 2005, he had this same festival won every prize except the Award for Best Actress. Lovers of DIY electronics and design, the director entrusted the coordination of all accessories. For him, "Islands of Storm," is an experience that I saw and did not think I've experienced before. There were other parts assembled in the Palace of Culture. But this piece is somehow a blend of everything, both in the light of sets, and in terms of accessories. Everything is in quantity. In terms of distribution, when you have people like Welcome Néba and our master Sidiki Bakaba, it gives you an idea of the level of the room. It will certainly turn a lot of vocations in many young people who come to see. "
- Gilles BEBLO
Its apparent in the reserve tranche life squarely with the passion of the actor on stage. He's Gilles Beblo. He would also like to be a sailor, an astronaut, explorer. He is a man who likes movement. He did not disdain to be a lawyer defender of lost causes or "bodyguard" to protect the weak. Tribune's seal without flinching that the fate of slaves, freedmen and other white friends of the negroes, to the intrepid and courageous Moses, a lieutenant of Toussaint Louverture who fall into disgrace and will be executed by firing squad is a work he is engaged in carefully Islands storm. We had enjoyed a similar role. The Prince's ambitious and bold Laobe Penda in exile of Cheikh Aliou Albouri Ndaw staged by Sidiki Bakaba. Here he found his character and spirit of the piece for which he served as the assistant to the director: "The same rebellion, the same ambition, the same passion, the same excitement. That is my challenge and my challenge. Because I must constantly send to the demarcation between the characters of these two characters Laobe Penda and Moses. In historical perspective, it is fortunate that we have to read past the first who have broken their shackles and stand up to assert their dignity and their freedom. These are the same power today that continue to oppress the weak in other ways. "
- Moussa Sidibe
It is the choreographer of the group and has already provided the choreography of other creations of the Palace of Culture. It is part of the first generation of the Actor Studio Abidjan. But her dance career began earlier, in 1985. As a choreographer he has done several internships and worked with Pathé'O as part of its fashion shows. In 1993 he was the choreographer Meiway at MASA. Since October 2003, he taught at the National School of Theater and Dance. Adoring literature and belles lettres, it is natural for the theater and dance are her passions. How does he storm Islands and the characters he plays with General Leclerc? For him: "General Leclerc is the henchman of Bonaparte. It is the executor of the dirty work so to speak. And the story continues. We have seen that here in Côte d'Ivoire. Some generals have come with specific orders even if they have failed. Leclerc himself had however managed to arrest and deport Toussaint Louverture through the General Brunet. The work of choreography of the piece has not been easy because it's a period piece. Today, at the dance, the choreographic expression is contemporary dance. Should he make the text with contemporary movements, or was he soaking squarely in the traditional sources Ivorian? Not to be an anachronism, it was necessary to pick up movements of time to stick to the spirit of the text. There is also a nod to the Capuera who dance in Brazil, Latin America and is part of Africa: Côte d'Ivoire, specifically Grand Lahou where people came to look for pieces of India slaves. It was a challenge because the text talks about dance but does not specify. And then, the collaboration with Mr. Bakaba and advice have helped us enormously. It is more than wealth to be at his side. "
- Bah KANOULAU
In 1980 he discovered the theater at the Catholic church. It was Seguela, at the time of Pierre Marie Koty, now Bishop of Daloa. Four years later in 1984, he joined the company in the Phoenix Saïdou Bocoum, then the village Kiyi in 1990. Previously, in 1987, he made the acquaintance of Sidiki Bakaba who, during his sojourn in Abidjan, the recorded several of his projects, including shootings. A versatile artist, Bah Kanoulau created the theater company the Homnimaux. It has for some time artistic director of the dance troupe Hahizé Club. He has already played in several creations of the Palace of Culture. For him, "Storm Island" is a great experience. For once, the actor is that I can now actually call people. Between a slave and a convict, there are only a few microns. But we must succeed in making this difference between black slaves and white convict. There is a nuance you need to know to manage. After that enter the skin of a general black caricature a white settler to replace it then end up in the character of an Abbot, an entire course. He has everything a game, hard work. It's really a great experience for me. "
- Blaise KOUADIO
It portrays a delicate role that has somehow opened the room and announce some extent this has to happen. He embodies the character of King Louis XVI in which he did research before the call. The king says he was calm temperament and locksmith's time lost. He was very focused on finances because of his expansionist spirit. The end of his reign was very disturbed. Familiar boards, Blaise Kouadio is in the theater world since 1968. He studied at the National Theater Institute of the Arts (INA). He has mentored young people within the country for a decade. It is one of the initiators of cultural holidays and school play where the actors come from space. "Storm Island" was first for him "a piece of news for all topics that are addressed, such as the behavior of the colonists against the colonized, are found today in other aspects. France has not changed its attitude. Men change, but how to remain a prototype behavior. Currently, we are experiencing the same situation to lesser degrees.
- LEZIN Olivier
He arrived at the scene almost by accident and the scene he smiled. It was in 1994 in Bouaké when we asked him to replace an absent actor. He won best actor several times at various festivals including schools. Lézin Olivier loves poetry and has been strongly attracted to a career as a footballer. He played at the Sports Association of indene (ASI Abengourou). Today, he completes his studies at the Higher Institute of Arts and cultural activities. He has played in creating the Palace of Culture, Monoko Zohi of Diegou Bailly directed by Sidiki Bakaba. In Islands of Storm, he played with talent the greatest role of his young career, that of Napoleon 1. Here's how he sees things: "It is an honor for me to play this role is both exciting and difficult. Exciting because this is the first time I played a role in White, a caricature of course White. But it is difficult because of reading the text in the game stage, he took several steps. He had identified the person, I thoroughly documented to better understand the historical figure. And I got this: Bonaparte was a madman, a great visionary. Someone ambitious, able to pursue his ideas through. To some, he is a dictator. But I do not think. It is rather very strong, sure of himself: he always follows vision. It's a big part in connection with our experience. Whatever one may say, we are still under the yoke of a pseudo colonization. Africa is a cake that has divided the West. I'm really happy to play this role because it gives me the opportunity to show a picture of this group of Europeans who wanted to enslave us. "
Christian KOCANI 
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