The Porte-Voix company creates musical theatre as part of a multi-disciplinary research project combining voice, rhythm, movement and images. It has developed a sensory and poetic language inspired by early childhood, questioning both the philosophical and aesthetic themes of man’s relationship with nature. Its creations question the symbolic and sensitive world in search of a poetry of the material, for a theatre of images opening the doors to the imaginary.
The Porte-Voix creations are theatrical forms that combine musical composition, bodywork and scenographic research… The voice and the musical instruments of contemporary or traditional lutherie, bearers of stories and imaginations, meet the manipulated textile materials, in the prolongation of “musical bodies” in movement. The work on sound and light explores the subtlety of nuances, for sensitive shows where colours vibrate.
The company devotes particular attention to early childhood, with some pieces created during residencies in crèches, enabling creative and intimate encounters in the everyday spaces of early childhood, on theatre stages, in media libraries, etc.
In the continuity of its indoor and outdoor shows, it invents forms of landscape theatre, artistic walks that take place in different natural or heritage spaces as scenic locations, inviting audiences from a very young age to take part in the journey through movement and sound.
Le Porte-Voix’s shows are created under the artistic direction of musician and director Florence Goguel, and call on a team of musicians, dancers, set designer/costumière, choreographer, sound and light designers, all of whom have built up a close artistic working relationship over the years, pushing back the boundaries of the company’s poetic, scenographic and multidisciplinary writing.
The shows
Each project takes a number of complementary and technically independent forms, enabling us to get as close as possible to our audiences. Together, these forms create an overall coherence around a shared theme.
OKA (December 2022), KOOM and OKANINA (2023): a triptych of creations that question the way in which man fits into his environment and advocate an ‘inseparable’ approach to living things.
ANiMA (2020) marvels at the power of life and the impetus that drives us. It is accompanied by two in situ forms, AMiNiMA, an improvised duo, and ODELÀ, a solo.
TIMÉE or the Star Sowers (2017), a poetic fable on the edge of our universe, is accompanied by two dance concerts, one a fixed performance, The Sowers, and the other a strolling performance, The Ballad of the Sowers.
Past performances
BODY QUARTET (2015), a concert of images that translates the abstract art of emblematic 20th-century painters into movement and sound, is accompanied by a ‘living land art’ walk, Quatre à Quatre.
PRIMO TEMPO (2012) is a tribute to migratory peoples and their endangered cultures by a trio of ‘hunter-gatherers of sound’. It is accompanied by PRIMO TEMPO, a nomadic open-air promenade that can also be performed ‘en fixe’ outside the theatre, and PICCOLI TEMPI, a solo for a female musician created for early childhood settings.
The Porte-Voix company was founded in 1998 by a group of artists from a variety of backgrounds – music, theatre, visual arts and literature – with the aim of creating musical theatre shows. The first pieces were created by Florence Goguel and Hestia Tristani, both musicians and actors. In 2010 they parted ways and Florence Goguel continued the Porte-Voix adventure.
The company is subsidised by the Direction Régionale des Affaires Culturelles d’Ile-de-France and supported by the Hauts de Seine département and the City of Nanterre. She has been associated with the Théâtre Paul Éluard in Bezons since September 2024 and Théâtre DUNOIS for the Scène pour un jardin planétaire project at the Théâtre du Parc Floral [Paris] since July 2019. It is a member of the ASSITEJ, SMALL SIZE and PUZZLE networks.
Crew
Partners past and present
Théâtre Dunois, pour un Théâtre du Jardin Planétaire (Parc Floral de Paris)
Since 2019, the Porte-Voix has been associated with the Théâtre Dunois for an Art, Childhood, Nature project at the Théâtre du Parc Floral alongside four other companies (AMK, Collectif I am a bird now, Les Demains qui chantent, Lunatic).
Nestling in an exceptional setting in the heart of the Bois de Vincennes, this space is dedicated to poetry, nature and early childhood. Named the Théâtre du Jardin Planétaire after poet-gardener Gilles Clément, who is sponsoring the project, the aim is to turn the venue into a creative laboratory where artistic research and transmission are combined with ecological issues.
This is where Le Porte-Voix draws inspiration and experimentation, through residencies inside (on the stage) and outside (in the Floral Park) for its creations.
Théâtre du Beauvaisis – Scène nationale
Florence Goguel was associate artist at the Théâtre du Beauvaisis-Scène Nationale, directed by Xavier Croci, from 2016 to June 2020. Numerous projects have been carried out with the theatre and in the Beauvaisis area: workshops with nursery and primary schools, colleges, training for nursery staff, parent-child workshops, touring shows, performances in nurseries, media libraries, EPHAD… All the company’s shows have been performed there, TIMÉE or the Star Sowers, which celebrates man’s relationship with the cosmos and marks the 20th anniversary of Le Porte-Voix, premiered there in November 2017, as did the dance concert to be shared THE SOWERS in 2018. ANiMA, a new creation for early childhood, was created in January 2020. Beyond these years of partnership, the Théâtre du Beauvaisis would like to continue working with the Porte-Voix, particularly in the area of early childhood.
La Seine Saint-Denis
The Compagnie du Porte-Voix is regularly supported by the Département of Seine Saint-Denis:
- From 2009 to 2012, Le Porte-Voix was in residency at the Maison du Théâtre et de la danse (Epinay sur Seine).
- Rêves de Pierre, Piccoli Tempi and Odelà have all been created in the department’s crèches, a scheme run jointly by the department’s culture and crèche services.
- In 2016, the company was awarded a residency at the Parc et Château de Ladoucette in Drancy, for the creation of Quatre à Quatre, an off-site version of Body Quartet. The aim is to create a flow between the areas of the park, which are very popular, and the exhibition areas of the château. Work is carried out throughout the year with a social centre and, in particular, a group of women learning French.
- In 2016, the company took up a residency at Espace 93 in Clichy sous Bois, with a project focused on early childhood, including several shows (Body Quartet, Rêves de Pierre), a wide-ranging cultural action project with the Maison de l’Enfance, and the creation of a ‘theatre lights’ version of Boucle d’O.
Val d’Oise and Hauts de Seine
The company is supported by the Conseil départemental des Hauts de Seine and the town of Nanterre, where it is based. Long-term links have been forged with the Gennevilliers Cultural Season, which supports Le Porte-Voix’s shows over time, notably by programming them in its Festival Jeune et Très jeune public, organised with Enfance et musique.
Rêves de Pierre was created in 2010 with the support of the Conseil Départemental du Val d’Oise as part of the Premières Rencontres européennes en Val d’Oise- Cie ACTA Festival. Ten years later, ANiMA was created as part of this festival, also with the support of the département. Body Quartet premiered in Louvres at the FTVO Festival in 2015, with support from the département. The creation of Timée or the Star Sowers is also supported by the department.
The round of tours…
Internationally
Reunion Island, Portugal, Quebec, Belgium, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Algeria, Italy [Festival Barraca 2020, postponed to 2021], Japan [Institut français de Tokyo, ASSITEJ 2020 Congress postponed to 2021].
In Festivals for young audiences
Young and old [Nantes], Z’étincelles [La Réunion], Premières rencontres européennes [Val d’Oise, Cie Acta], Ribambelle [Blainville], Festival Jeune et très Jeune Public [Gennevilliers], Festival de Marne [94], FTVO [95], 193 Soleil ! [93], Kaolin et Barbotine [Limoges], Escapades [Paris], Théâtre à Tout Age [Quimper], Momix [Kingersheim], MéliMôme [Reims], l’Echappée Belle [Blanquefort], Festival Les Francos- Théâtre du Mantois en Yvelines, Babelut [Neerpelt], Ideklic [Moirans en Montagne]…
Within municipalities and labelled sites
Théâtre du Beauvaisis- Scène nationale, Maison de la Culture de Nevers et de la Nièvre, Philarmonie de Paris, Théâtre Antoine Vitez-Ivry sur Seine, Maison de la Musique- Scène Conventionnée à Nanterre, l’Apostrophe- Scène Nationale de Cergy Pontoise, La Barbacane- Scène Conventionnée de Beynes, la Filature- Scène Nationale de Mulhouse, L’Arc- Scène Conventionnée de Rezé, le Théâtre du Préau- Centre Dramatique Régional de Vire, le Centre Culturel Jean Gagnant- Scène Conventionnée de Limoges, Le Théâtre des 13 Arches- Scène Conventionnée à Brive, l’Arche- Scène Conventionnée de Béthoncourt, le Nouveau Relax à Chaumont, les Bambous- Scène Conventionnée de St-Benoit sur l’Ile de la Réunion…
Networks
The Compagnie du Porte-Voix is involved in a number of young audience creation networks. These commitments are a source of collective energy that invites us to question our practices and share our realities, at regional, national or international level. They are also places for artistic encounters, exchanges and solidarity between professions.
Le Porte-Voix maintains special relationships with a number of companies through support, collaboration and sharing: La Waide cie, Le Son du Bruit, Cie A Tous Vents…
Collectif Puzzle
Le Porte-Voix is part of the Collectif Puzzle, a group of 20 companies from the Paris region working with very young audiences. Created at the initiative of 193 Soleil!, the collective organises meetings, research and discussions, notably during the Plateaux Puzzle (an annual meeting at the end of January) and develops collective actions to better defend culture for very young children.
Scènes d’Enfance – ASSITEJ France
Florence Goguel has been a member of the Board of Directors of Scènes d’Enfance – ASSITEJ France (SEAF) for several years. Created in 2015 by the Scène(s) d’enfance et d’ailleurs and ASSITEJ France associations, SEAF continues to support, network and accompany the young audience sector in France and overseas, as well as internationally.
Small Size
In 2019, the company is joining SMALL SIZE, an international network for the promotion of the performing arts in early childhood, which aims to connect professionals in the field around the world and encourage the exchange of ideas, experience, methods and research.
Florence Goguel joins Small Size – Le Piccolo