Stilt walkers are usually dismissed as side shows or photo opportunities at circuses, amusement parks and the odd hotel (The Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian Macau had a couple). However, as part of the French Art and Film Festival this month, French contemporary circus troupe Chabatz d’Entrar aims to dispel the notion that the art of stilts is merely a gimmick with ‘Perchés…’, an intriguing 70-minute long performance that borrows elements from the circus and theatre.
Chabatz d’Entrar, which was founded in 1997, has gained a reputation for experimenting with various visual artistic forms and object manipulation, and this avant-garde production is no different. ‘Perchés…’ tells the story of a man and woman, one in the air and the other grounded, in their search for the perfect balance in life. We’re introduced to the use of classic wooden stilts on stage in an impressive display of balance, control, acrobatics and technique where the stage is divided into two dimensions in the form of the floor and non-floor in an effort to create the illusion of gliding on thin air. Wong Boon Ken