His performance in the three-person comedy “Eat Your Soup,” where he played Momo, a Mongolian not as naive as one might think, had stunned the entire audience. Fabrice Raspati, the author, had thought of him after seeing his solo show “The Schizo,” literally dumbfounded by the talent of this man from Antibes.
It’s not surprising for anyone who discovered him in his one-man show, Wednesday night. He is even more phenomenal in his gestures, movements, and grimaces.
Around his main character, a certain Jean-Paul Doliprane – setting the tone – the gang leader, appears a dozen accomplices to take us on the paths of hearty laughter, the kind that transforms you into a relaxed and lively being amidst increasingly oppressive gloom.
He was already making his teachers laugh when he was just a kid…
The real live show was right there. A few inches from me and the room was full. Forget the Nice-Marseille soccer derby, not for us the jostle of Cannes and its famous red carpet. Time for an unforgettable evening among friends “at Fabienne’s and her team’s place” where they know what hosting means. The red is present on the comfortable seats and seat backs.
On stage, Vincent, alias Jean-Paul Dolipranne, immediately sets the tone by confessing that he sniffs Prozac in the morning and gracing us with grimaces from another world as well as his rapid-fire speech. Amazing.
In two of his sketches, he affords himself the luxury of making us believe they are three and without saying a word. All in gestures and facial expressions. We freely move from a driver and his somewhat crazy passenger, who are stopped by a gendarme, to a jazz trio composed of a guitarist, a violinist, and a bassist who can’t keep up the pace.
In total, about ten characters living in one body, hats off to the artist, with a nod to the news from Mexico. It’s said that he could have been a professional footballer but was held back by his short stature, and that he was a salesman in a large home improvement store “where they have everything you need.”
Even as a little kid, he made his teachers at Guynemer School in Antibes laugh so hard they had to hide to maintain their authority over the class. He finally found his place on stage, and he learned the craft by attending theater classes in 1994 taught by Fabienne Candela at the Scène-sur-Mer.
2009 seems set to be a very rewarding year for this man from Antibes who deserves to be seen and known.
After “Eat Your Soup,” here comes his “Schizo” on the rails of success (both will be presented at the end of the year at Noëlle Perna’s Theatre des Oiseaux in Nice).
He has just joined the troupe of Zappapeurs, you know, that band of merry pranksters who improvise wildly with the audience, and this has given him even more mastery in his performance, which can vary from one show to another, like this new character of the Italian professor who speaks poor French while he must give a conference.
With the author of “Eat Your Soup” he is writing a clown show that should be performed in December.
He is going to drive us crazy, this “schizo,” but the worst part is that we love it, and the audience gave him several encores for this premiere in Antibes. A good tip, go see him but don’t forget to book your ticket, seats are limited by the venue’s capacity, he is only there until Saturday but it’s worth all the anxiolytics.
“The Schizo,” by and starring Vincent Trupiano
at 8:30 PM until May 16
Theatre de la Scène sur Mer
(1st floor of the restaurant La Cascade)
Place Nationale in Antibes
Information and reservations at:
Theatre de la Marguerite
15 rue Fourmillière 06600 Antibes
Tel. 04 93 34 11 21
(office hours from 10 AM to 6 PM)
or on www.theatredelamarguerite.com
