Nightingale
Winner of the “Public Choice” award for the Best Independent Theatre in Croatia 2012
The show is based on the techniques of theatre clown as taught by Lee Delong based on the work of Jacques Lecoq. The main plot of the piece is not expressed through narration, but through situations. The piece is entirely visual.
The Koko family’s only daughter, Kupina Koko, is past the marrying age. Her parents are even more worried than before since Kupina is interested only in the Nightingale she keeps in a cage. On her birthday—a horrible day for her parents because it reminds them of just how old she is—Kupina is not interested in her own birthday party! But miracle of miracles, a young man happens by on that day and he’s interested in birds too. The parents rejoice. They do everything to put their daughter into the young man’s arms. The only problem is that Kupina Koko does not fall in love so easily. The parents, Kupina and the young man fight their way through zany situations in their efforts to light the flame of Kupina’s heart.
NIGHTINGALE is a performance in the spirit of Chaplin and Tati. The action is entirely visual, rapid-fire, funny and touching. The live music weaves the texture of the story. The unraveling of the story is a joyful release.
Clowns: KUPINA - Nikolina Majdak
OCTAVIO - Domagoj Šoić
PROKOPIJE - Nikola Mijatović
VITA MIN - Iva Peter-Dragan
Musicians: Ines Tricković, Frederic Lang, Nicolas Sinković
Light design: Milan Kovačević
Sound: Tomica Kraljić
Art director: Draško Ivezić
Produced by: TRIKO CIRKUS TEATAR
PRESS COVERAGE (2012)
BIGGER THAN LIFE
Novosti: Samostalni Srpski Jednik, 10.03.2012
by Bojan Munjin
Triko Cirkus Teatar has been cooperating with Lee Delong, a French-American actress who also teaches theatre clown, for a long time.
The result of that cooperation is two performances of what will be a trilogy: the first, “Kikiriki” [Peanuts] is based on the themes found in Brecht's “Three Penny Opera”, and the second, “Slavuj” [Nightingale], had an opening night in Zagreb recently.
It is a warm human story injected with a little joy and optimism emphasized by the exaggeration of the clowns: a pair of clowns is trying to marry their daughter, and the plot sets wings to the imagination.
This performance is filled with hundreds of rare tragi-comic tones, the kind of which human destiny is filled. ….Simply stated, the clowns resemble all human beings, but they are bigger than life….
TO EACH HIS OWN CLOWN
Kultunkt, 10.02.2012
A look at the first clown theatre performance especially made for adults [in Zagreb].
Relying on the language of circus and archetypes, the actors show praiseworthy skill and maturity. Using elements of cabaret, physical theatre, mime and circus skills, acrobatics and juggling, the actors offer us much of black humor and leave no audience member indifferent.
The interaction of the actors and musicians transmit the stage experience, the feeling for the moment and an amazing performance skill. These are qualities rarely seen, even in productions with bigger budgets. This warm story and its comical characters, make this show a good choice for audiences hungry for unconventional theatre expression.
CLOWN SEXUAL STUDIES
Novi List, 10.02.2012
The most interesting part of the show is the nightingale, the gentle and singing sound with which the cage of Kupina Koko is filled. Three on-stage musicians (Ines Trickovic, Pavle Miljenovic and Nicolas Sinkovic) make up a great live band. Their music is passionate and great effort is required to produce the many sounds.