VILLES DE PAPIER [PAPER CITIES]
Cie La Bande Passante
In their series, “Villes de papier” (Paper Cities), presented as short performance pieces, Cie La Bande Passante brings the stories of places and cities to life using old postcards. The artists craft each show using cut, folded, and three-dimensionally arranged postcards or photographs, animated with video, sound, light, and occasionally text. Each Paper City is a unique creation – a commissioned work based on archival materials from local collections. Some Paper Cities are historically faithful, while others take a more imaginative approach.
For the 24th international figuren.theater.festival, the artists created a “Ville de Papier” of Erlangen, along with a second model called “Renlangen”, which was developed in workshops with residents from both Erlangen and Rennes.
During the “Villes de Papier” live performances, Benoît Faivre and Tommy Laszlo reinterpret the legacy of old postcards using contemporary tools. Without altering the originals, they enlarge the documents live, cut and fold them before the audience's eyes, giving depth and texture to the black-and-white prints. Out of this process emerge streets, squares, gardens, parking lots, or construction sites. This miniature landscape is soon accompanied by a detailed soundscape that recreates the everyday life and atmosphere of the depicted era. The artists film the model and project it in CinemaScope onto a large screen: camera pans, panoramic views, and close-ups create the illusion of movement and depth, immersing the audience in the neighbourhood. In “Villes de Papier”, the city itself becomes the protagonist – a journey through time.
This exhibition presents four Paper Cities in film format: Erlangen (2025), Rennes (2019), Brussels (2015) and Vevey (2018), alongside the paper model created by residents in workshops using postcards from the Erlangen City Archive and the Musée de Bretagne.
Artistic Direction: Benoît Faivre and Tommy Laszlo
Concept, Direction: Benoît Faivre, Kathleen Fortin, Tommy Laszlo, Aurélie Michel, Daniel Trento
Performance: Charline Dereims, Benoît Faivre, Tommy Laszlo, Aurélie Michel
Video: Benoît Faivre, Julien Goetz, Tommy Laszlo
Sound Design: Benoît Faivre
Lighting: Marie-Jeanne Assayag-Lion, Charline Dereims
Production: Claire Girod, with support from Aurélie Burgun
Founded in 2007 by Benoît Faivre and based in Metz, Cie La Bande Passante redefines the art of documentary storytelling through performance. The company now includes around fifteen artists from a wide range of disciplines.