In the midst of the pandemic, Nicolas Buysse decided to create an open-air show (his trademark for the past twenty years with the Victor B company, and his own company, Les Boîtes à Idées), to bring poetry and music back to centre stage. It would become Jacques, an intimate walk dedicated to the poems and songs of Jacques Prévert. He called on jazz trumpet player, actor and singer Greg Houben to accompany him on the guided journey, with the firm intention of bringing together literature and music, songs and acting. The warm, funny and tender, corrosive and challenging words will be sung and recited. Music will play a central role, through the repertoire of Yves Montand and Joseph Kosma, and singer André Minvielle.
On the stage, a photo of Prévert hangs over a small Parisian bistro table set with small glasses of red wine. Wearing individual headphones, the audience is close as you can get to the words, whispered directly into their ears. The staging is designed for an intimate experience, so that the artists can reach out with kindness and share their unconditional love for these poems and songs. Set to the rhythm of bucolic nature, all the tenderness, detachment and humour of the Belgian spirit will take over the Parc des Tanneurs in a mischievous and almost childlike lightness, all to the glory of Prévert’s gentle style.
BIOGRAPHY
> NICOLAS BUYSSE (Belgium)
Nicolas Buysse is originally from Namur, where he was born in 1975. He joined the Royal Conservatory of Liège and obtained First Prize in Dramatic Art and Declamation in 1998. For the past 25 years, he has been performing on all the biggest stages in Belgium and France, with an eclectic repertoire, often in the service of other contemporary artists (Mariedl collective, Coline Struyf and Vincent Hennebicq). Since 2007, he has worked closely with Jean-Michel Frère’s Victor B company (Kermesse, Trop de Guy Béart tue Guy Béart, Poney pour toujours). He created his own company, Les Boîtes à Idées, to produce Walking Thérapie. He lends his famous voice to the duo Patar et Aubier (A Town Called Panic, Ernest & Celestine), and also acts in film and television.
> GREG HOUBEN (Belgium)
Born in 1978 in Verviers, and son of jazz saxophonist and flautist Steve Houben, Greg Houben is a multi-faceted artist. His trumpet, though, is his most loyal friend. He brings it into all his projects, which have taken him to the greatest Belgian and international stages. He is the complete artist who sings, acts and has recorded five music albums and a song album, Un Belge à Rio (2018).
> MATTHIEU VAN (Belgium)
Matthieu “Van” Vandenabeele was born in Roubaix in 1978 and trained as a classical musician before entering the Brussels Conservatory and Eric Légnini’s jazz class (first prize in 2003). He has played with a number of groups, including the Dubicki-Van Quartet, Old Fashioned Trio and Wonderland, performed in theatre with The Wild Party, Versus and Planète, and accompanied Greg Houben, Puggy, Sacha Toorop and others, combining jazz and rock influences as a pianist, keyboard player, drummer and arranger.
DISTRIBUTION
De Nicolas Buysse et Greg Houben, sur des textes et chansons de Jacques Prévert, avec Nicolas Buysse, Greg Houben et Matthieu Van (piano)
Collaboration artistique : Jean-Michel Frère et Michel Kacenelenbogen
Scénographie : Camille Tota
Ingénieur du son : Sébastien Courtoy
Moyens techniques : Noizless Madness, Talk Hit, David Joppart
Compositeurs : André Minvielle, Papanosh, Vladimir Kosma et Serge Gainsbourg
