TOYO ! by Les Colporteurs

An Artistic and Cultural Education Programme

TOYO ! by Les Colporteurs

September 28, 2023 - November 3, 2023

Alliances Françaises in India presents TOYO ! ; an artistic & cultural education programme for younglings.

Toyo is a funny encounter between an acrobat and a construction pipe sets the bar for creative storytelling.

Gillou hears a mysterious voice, leading him to a captivating discovery. With determination, he embarks on a challenging journey to befriend Toyo, a formidable and colossal hollow pipe. Alongside the musical companion, Coline, Gillou’s creative antics transformes Toyo into an airplane, a suit, a telescope, or even a house, with occasional mishaps and laughter-filled moments. Through this vibrant interplay, an enduring and unforgettable friendship blossomes.

Gilles Charles-Messance, a seasoned acrobat with roots in traditional circuses is set to mesmerizs audiences with his remarkable performance. His masterpiece, ‘Toyo,’ gurantees not only to sparks the imaginations of children but also keeps them thoroughly entertained.

India Tour

2023

Note: Shows indicated in Green color are open to public

Date Time Event Venue City
28 September 12 pm Private show Birla Academy Of Art And Culture Kolkata
29 September 10:30 am
6:30 pm		 Private show
Public show		 The Future Foundation School
GD Birla Sabhaghar		 Kolkata
3 October 10 am
11 am		 Private shows Kunskapsskolan School Lucknow
5 October 10 am
11:30 am		 Private shows Alliance Française de Chandigarh Chandigarh
6 October 10 am
11:30 am		 Private shows Alliance Française de Chandigarh Chandigarh
9 October 10 am – 11 am Private show Lycée Français International de Delhi New Delhi
10 October 3 pm – 4 pm Private show Lycée Français International de Delhi New Delhi
12 October 10 am – 12 pm
5 pm – 6 pm		 Private shows Maharana Mewar Public School, Moti Mahal
Juvenile correction home		 Udaipur
13 October 6 pm Public show The Third Space Udaipur
16 October 2 pm
3:30 pm		 Private shows Alliance Française d’Ahmedabad Ahmedabad
17 October 11:30 pm
1 pm		 Private shows Divine Child International School Ahmedabad
19 October 11 am Private show Deccan Education Society School Pune
20 October 11 am
12 pm		 Private shows Indus International School Pune
22 October 11 am Public show Alliance Française of Hyderabad Hyderabad
29 October 4 pm Private show PAVO Orphanage Pondichéry
30 November 10:30 am Private show St. Patrick School Pondichéry
2 November TBC Private show Alliance Française of Madras Chennai
3 November TBC Private show Alliance Française of Madras Chennai

Toyo !

A French Entertainer for Kids and Families

by Gilles Charles-Messance and alternatelyColine Ellouz or Coline Rigot

Sponsored by

Sponsored
by

Hopitality
partner

About Les Colporteurs

Founded by tight-rope walkers Antoine Rigot and Agathe Olivier, the company Les Colporteurs created its first show Filao in 1996 ; on tour for four years, it will be represented more than 250 times in France and abroad. In 1999, the team of Les Colporteurs teamed up with that of the Les Nouveaux Nez to imagine, in Ardèche, what became La Cascade, National Circus Pole of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, of which they are since partners. In 2000, after a serious accident, Antoine Rigot must abandon wire-dancing, but resumes work as an actor, and engages in writing and stage direction. He conceives and directs the shows of Les Colporteurs : Diabolus in Musica (2003), Le Fil sous la Neige (2006), Hautes Pointures and Tarina (2007), Sur la Route… (2009), Le Bal des Intouchables (2012) , Le Chas du Violon (2014), Evohé (2015), Sous la toile de Jheronimus (2017) and Le retour des papillons, an exit show for Fratellini Academy students (2017). In 2018, following the creation, Méandres, shared with Agathe, Antoine Rigot directed, along with Alice Ronfard, the show F(r)iction for the 30th graduating class of CNAC. In 2019, Antoine directed with Julien Lambert the show TOYO!, a musical and acrobatic duo for young audiences. In 2022, Antoine Rigot and Agathe Olivier create a new show under the big top with ten circus artists and musicians , Coeurs Sauvages, actually on tour in France and Europe.

The company Les Colporteurs produces and performs these shows under its big top, indoors and in the public space, in France and abroad.

The company Les Colporteurs is supported by the DRAC Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region, Department of Ardeche and the City of Le Teil d’Ardèche.

It all started for Gilles in 1977 when he walked into Annie Fratellini and Pierre Étaix’s circus. He was new to this world, as they say. He started off being an acrobat, then he created a circus act on a trampoline as well as a fixed trapeze act thanks to which he worked at Arlette Gruss’s circus, then in several traditional circuses, including Monti in Switzerland, or Alexis Gruss. Later on, he performed a flying trapeze act thanks to which he joined the Arts Sauts, and a Washington trapeze act with which he began a long collaboration with the company Les Colporteurs. Gilles hates to say he works, he’d rather say he has fun while making the audience happy.

As the daughter of tightrope artists, Agathe Olivier and Antoine Rigot, Coline has always known the tricks of the trade… of contemporary Circus. During Volière Dromesko tour that Coline first walked on a rope and she started learning the violin with Hungarian Gypsy musicians of the company. Later on, Coline alternated between learning the violin at the classical music academy, and improvisation workshops with Carl Shlosser, a saxophone player – jazz composer of the first show of Les Colporteurs, Filao. Gradually she developed a poetic language combining rope and violin.
After receiving the classical gold medal at the music Avignon academy and after learning jazz, in Didier Lockwood’s class, Coline led her life, sometimes with circus, including three creations with Les Colporteurs as musician or tightrope artist, sometimes as theatre musician with FootsBar, or even as violinist with collectives of travelling musicians, such as Tchabadjo and Les Poissons Voyageurs.

Aaron Fernandes is working as a producer on the tour of “Our Daily Performance” in India. He is an astute and well-traveled professional, his expertise lies in building long term relationships with partners as well as finding immediate solutions to seemingly unsolvable problems. He founded Aaron Fernandes Entertainment (AFE) in Mumbai, India in March 2020. AFE offers a wide array of services from international representation, consulting, production, individual artist management, tour production and management and logistical expertise. Aaron Fernandes specializes in contemporary dance but also works with companies and artists from across all genres and throughout the globe. He is currently the Project Manager for CINARS in India and an ISPA Global Fellow for 2022.

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