Lumen Texte is a text that speaks for itself.
This "word" is addressed to the audience. The dramaturgy of address, at the heart of the process, implements all kinds of links between text, spectator, space, the bodies present and the shared temporality of the collective.
By questioning spectators about the possibilities of experiencing a shared moment, these words tell stories and sometimes incite action, without us ever knowing whether this will change the course of the piece or not..
Facing the audience is an empty stage with a screen in the distance. The audience is left alone in front of this white screen for 45 minutes. A text projected onto the screen speaks directly to them. The spectators, seated side by side in silence, read the words addressed to them by Lumen Texte.
Little by little, the text takes on a singular presence. It exposes everything that constitutes it and everything that makes up the present moment of the performance. It questions its audience about the possibilities of experiencing a shared moment. Like an actor, it succeeds in making them laugh (or cry, for some) and captivating them. Moreover, it manages to provoke real contact within the audience and to interfere with their smartphones; it seems to respond to everything happening in the room.
Lumen Texte is based on research that we have been conducting and presenting in various contexts through test phases since June 2018.
Initially, the creation developed in an analog manner. Written beforehand and set to a live rhythm, this slide presentation was based on the layout, typography, and ‘body’ of the text.
In the second phase, the visual form remained largely the same, but it was enriched by research in collaboration with a computer engineer and researchers in psychology, pedagogy, and mediation. The show also benefited from numerous encounters with diverse audiences, facilitated by specific feedback tools.
This research has led to the development of digital tools that account for the live performance and integrate it in real-time with the original text. Consequently, the text of the performance is never completely the same and depends on the audience's reactions.
