Laurent Cirade et Paul Staïcu : Duel

Presentation

Decked out at first with a piano, then a cello, followed by a burglar’s crowbar, and before too long, a chaise longue and a barbecue, two improbable beings appear from nowhere. Subjected to frantic metamorphoses, they come charging into our musical story. The two of them are both funny and delicate, and have a poignancy about them as they explore every musical stereotype, from the very best classical music to the mawkish melodies heard in the supermarket. By virtue of their unwavering talents, they get themselves into hopeless situations, and through their unsuspected capacity for whirling about the stage, they capture at last the hearts of the audience in this dizzying display of their poetic and comic delirium.

The first musical tragedy ever composed, “Duel” is perhaps the finest illustration of what Robert Desnos said of burlesque: “the most disconcerting form of lyricism.” A languorous waltz-like piano piece for a cannibalistic nightmare, a ballad for a starry-eyed girl who’s been dumped, concertos for Visa Card, a toccata for a confinement, rap for social depression, a minuet for military sadism, a Hungarian gipsy song for scouting-days nostalgia, scat for stentorian bellowing. . . . But who was that famous philosopher, then, who thought it wise to say that music gentles our condition?

Two exceptional musicians go about settling hilarious accounts and manage to convince you absolutely. Suitable for all audiences.

The Troupe

Laurent Cirade : Cello
With classical training, he was part of the group Le Quatuor from 1988 to 2000. Those twelve, very intense years made it possible for him to pursue his career by creating his own show. “Duel” was able to improve over time to the point where the artistic goals Laurent Cirade set for himself were attained: a performance in which music and humor each have their place.

Paul Staïcu : piano
With instruction in both classical and jazz music, he’s a musician of exceptional talent. He has also shown himself to be an outstanding actor. Coming to this show later than the others, he was still able to contribute to new segments of the performance and allowed for greater synergy between the two characters.

Agnès Bourry: Director
Early in her career she divided her time between variety theater and contemporary music by serving as an assistant to director Jean-Luc Moreau (21 plays and several unforgettable occasions to work with the greats, like, for example, Maria Pacome), and to the composer Nicolas Frize at the same time.

On television, she appeared for nine consecutive years on the awards show for theater (Night of the Molières), as well as on several variety shows and dramas. For Canal+ she produced eight episodes of the sitcom Eva Mag with Chantal Lauby.

In the theater, she was assistant director, working with Stéphane Hillel on Les Portes du Ciel (Gates of Heaven) with Gerard Depardieu, Les Dernières Lunes (The Last Moons) with Jean Piat, Un petit jeu sans conséquences (A Little Game of No Consequence) ; with Alain Sachs on Le Passe-Muraille (The Man Who Could Walk Through Walls), Un Fil à la Patte (My Hands Are Tied), Le Sire de Vergy (The Lord of Vergy), Madame Sans gene (Madame Speaks Her Mind), Les Noces de Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) ; with José Paul on L’amour est enfant de Salaud (Love Is a Bitch); and with Laurent Baffre on Sexes, magouilles, et culture générale (Sexes, Scheming, and General Culture).

In 1997, she directed the show by Virginie Lemoine and Laurent Gerra that won the Molière for best one man show. She followed this up with musical and comedy shows with Jean-Paul Farré, Chanson plus bifluoré, Les Escrocs (Swindlers); with Laurent Gerra, Choc Frontal (Frontal Shock); with Virginie Lemoine, Operaccordéon (Accordeopera); with Juliette in Juliette’s Feast and “Duel,” which she wrote with Laurent Cirade, Paul Staicu and R. H. Joo, In 2002, she directed La presse est unanime (The Press Agrees Unanimously) by Laurent Ruquier with the reporters from the show : On a tout essayé (We Tried Everything) and Marie Laforêt.

In the Press

This is smart, well-turned-out humor, clever and at the top of its form.
L'Express

In «Duel» the musicians devote themselves joyfully to their performance in an astounding display of virtuosity. The players are quite extraordinary.
Le Figaro

This is a great occasion of musical humor. A show that’s just outstanding and truly original, funny and extremely impressive at once.
Le Parisien

The two virtuosos clash for an hour and a half. Musical jousting and a burlesque show which has them play their instruments like circus performers: the two musicians, who have been showered with prizes from their Conservatories, show us, by mixing things up, that music can cut in many different directions.
Libération

To see excerpts of the show click here.
To access the website of the performance Duel, click here.

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