James Thiérrée

James Thiérrée
Born 2 May 1974
Lausanne, Switzerland
Occupation circus performer, actor, director
Parent(s) Victoria Chaplin and
Jean-Baptiste Thierrée

James Spencer Henry Edmond Marcel Thierrée (born 2 May 1974 in Lausanne, Switzerland) is a French[1] circus performer, violinist,[2] actor and director who is best known for his theatre performances which blend contemporary circus, mime, dance and music.[3] He is the son of circus performers Victoria Chaplin and Jean-Baptiste Thierrée, the grandson of filmmaker Charlie Chaplin and the great-grandson of playwright Eugene O’Neill.

Biography

Thierrée made his stage debut aged four in 1978, appearing alongside his older sister, Aurélia Thierrée, at his parents’ small circus, Le Cirque Imaginaire.[4][5] He toured with the circus and its follower, Le Cirque Invisible, throughout his childhood and teenage years, until 1994.[6] Due to this, he was taught by tutors up to the age of twelve, when he was enrolled at the American School of Paris.[5] Later he studied at the Piccolo Teatro in Milan, the CNSAD and the Acting International in Paris and the Harvard Theater School in the United States.[6] In 1991, aged fifteen, he made his film debut in the role of Ariel in Peter Greenaway's film Prospero's Books,[4] and has since appeared in several films. He was nominated for the César Award for Most Promising Actor in 2006 for his role in Antoine de Caunes’s film Twice upon a Time (2006).

In 1998 Thierrée founded his own theatre company, La Compagnie du Hanneton, and directed his first stage show,The Junebug Symphony (La Symphonie du Hanneton), in which he also performed.[7] It toured several countries around the world and received favourable reviews from for example the New York Times[8] and the Los Angeles Times.[9] Thierrée won four Molière Awards for the show, including that of the best director and the best newcomer in 2006,[10] and it was chosen in 2009 as one of the ten most important theatre pieces of the decade by Le Figaro.[11] His next pieces, the Bright Abyss (2003, La Veillée des Abysses)[12][13] and Au Revoir Parapluie (2007)[14][15] were similarly acclaimed, and he was awarded a Molière for the latter.[16] In 2008 he also received Le Prix Plaisir du Théâtre from the Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques.[17] His fourth stage show, Raoul (2009) received more mixed reviews.[18][19][20] Thierrée’s fifth spectacle, titled Tabac Rouge, is to premiere in Lausanne in the summer of 2013.[21]

Stage productions

Theatre roles

Year Production Location Role Notes
1995 Pre-Paradise, Sorry Now Espace Toulouse-Lautrec, Paris Unknown Adaption of play by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, directed by Julien Collet.
La Splendida Vergogna Del Fet Mal Fet Barcelona Unknown Written and directed by Carlos Santos. Toured.
1995–1997 Lapin Lapin Théâtre de la Porte Saint-Martin, Paris Unknown Written by Coline Serreau, directed by Benno Besson.
1998 Le Soleil Est Rare Théâtre de la Criée, Marseille Unknown Written and directed by Michael Cohen.
2000 La Chauve-Souris Paris Opera Unknown Adaptation of Johann Strauss II's Die Fledermaus, directed by Coline Serreau.

La Compagnie du Hanneton

Year Production Premiere location Role Notes
1998–2005 The Junebug Symphony Orion Theatre, Stockholm Original French title: La Symphonie du Hanneton. Toured internationally.
2003–2010 Bright Abyss La Coursive, La Rochelle Original French title: La Veillée des Abysses. Toured internationally.
2007–2011 Au Revoir Parapluie Théâtre Vidy, Lausanne Toured internationally.
2009– Raoul Théâtre Royal, Namur First solo show. Still touring internationally.
2013– Tabac Rouge Théâtre Vidy, Lausanne He works on the stage with the Company. Tours internationally.

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1991 Prospero's Books Ariel
1993 Stefano Quantestorie Teenage Stefano
The Girl in the Watermelon Matt Carrere Credited as James Spencer Thierrée
1995 Total Eclipse Frederic
1996 The Green Beautiful Mesaje
Reckoning Pino Television film.
1997 Genealogies of a Crime Young American actor
On Guard Marcello
1999 Apassionata Joel
Une Femme dans la Rue Unknown Short film
2000 Vatel Duc de Longueville
2001 A Long Long Long Night of Love Gabriele
2003 Dix-huit ans après Arthur
3 Women Unknown
2004 Rien, voilà l'ordre Alexis
2005 Bye Bye Blackbird Josef
Carmen Mercier Television film.
2006 Twice Upon a Time Paul Gaylord
2007 Buchstaben/Letters Unknown
The Vanishing Point Vincent
2009 Korkoro Félix Talouche
2010 Bartleby – Geschichte der Wall Street Bartleby Television film.
2011 See How They Dance Victor/Clément
2013 Love Battles He

References

  1. ↑ Turner, Brook (2012-02-04), "Death of a Clown", The Weekend Financial Review, retrieved 2012-07-11
  2. ↑ Greenfield, Elana. "Flight & Bliss: The Work of James Thierrée". The Brooklyn Rail. Retrieved 08/1/2012. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  3. ↑ "Dossier de Presse: Raoul" (PDF). Théâtre national de Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Ellis, Samantha (2004-04-07), "Clown prince", The Guardian (London), retrieved 2007-12-16
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Ross, Lillian (2008-01-07), "Son of a Clown", The New York Times (New York), retrieved 2012-07-11
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Raoul: Education Resource" (PDF). Perth International Arts Festival. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  7. ↑ Winship, Lyndsey (2007-10-18), "A Big Pair of Shoes to Fill", The Guardian (London), retrieved 2012-07-11
  8. ↑ Van Gelder, Lawrence (2002-10-09), "Sleepless and Wordless, He Leaves ‘Em Speechless", The New York Times (New York), retrieved 2012-07-11
  9. ↑ Segal, Lewis (2002-10-19), "Dreams Come Alive on A Bed of Whimsy", The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles), retrieved 2012-07-11
  10. ↑ Lauréats 2006, Les Molières, . Retrieved 20 June 2012.
  11. ↑ "Les pièces de théâtre de la décennie : les choix du Figaro". Le Figaro. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  12. ↑ Zinoman, Jason (2005-11-11), "Blood Lines the Blend Old Performance Arts with the New", The New York Times (New York), retrieved 2012-07-11
  13. ↑ Gardner, Lyn (2004-04-10), "La Veillée des Abysses", The Guardian (London), retrieved 2012-07-11
  14. ↑ Brantley, Ben (2007-12-07), "The Dreams and Horrors of the Ties That Bind", The New York Times (New York), retrieved 2012-07-11
  15. ↑ Gardner, Lyn (2007-11-01), "Au Revoir Parapluie", The Guardian (London), retrieved 2012-07-11
  16. ↑ "Au Revoir Parapluie". Théâtre Marigny. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  17. ↑ "James Thiérrée et Clotilde Hesme récompensés". SACD. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  18. ↑ Gardner, Lyn (2009-10-16), "Raoul", The Guardian (London), retrieved 2012-07-11
  19. ↑ Cavendish, Dominic (2009-10-15), "Raoul at the Barbican Theatre", The Telegraph (London), retrieved 2012-07-11
  20. ↑ La Rocco, Claudia (2010-11-07), "An Elephant, a Jellyfish and a Man With a Lot on, and in, His Mind", The New York Times (New York), retrieved 2012-07-11
  21. ↑ Paré, Isabelle (2012-04-05), "James Thiérrée de retour au Québec", Le Devoir, retrieved 2012-07-11

External links