Silvia Costa Poil de Carotte

by Jules Renard

Who is Poil de Carotte, or Carrot Head, really? Neglected and bullied by his family, Jules Renard’s unloved little boy is defined by his red hair, a reflection, perhaps, of his sense of indignation at life’s injustices. For Silvia Costa, who tackles this classic work for children, whether he is good or bad, victim or rebel, is unimportant. He is, above all, the subjective hero of a childhood needing to be reinvented.

After being welcomed into the Lepic family stable, spectators are instantly plunged into a realistic playing space, surrounded by hay and farm animals. The arrival of Poil de Carotte’s mother overturns the apparent order. The visual universe, devised in collaboration with set designer Moroussia Vaes, unfurls before us like an album of ephemeral slides, set to the rhythm of the young boy’s memories, based on vignettes from Jules Renard’s work. Far from a linear form of narration, Silvia Costa prompts us to immerse ourselves in this universe she has created, and in which matter, sensations and shapes are of primordial importance.

With a background in visual arts and theatre from the University of Venice, Silvia Costa, one of Romeo Castellucci’s habitual performers and collaborators since 2006, continues to develop her own artistic projects. For several years now, she has been devising sensorial installations aimed at younger audiences. After Cuore, a classic Italian work from the XIXth century, this production of Poil de Carotte continues her forays into children’s literature.