Emilia-Romagna towards recovery. Despite the difficulties that have hit the region, "Cirque Bidon" returns to make people dream: the historic French company that travels on carriages.

Emilia-Romagna towards recovery. Despite the difficulties that have hit the region, the “Cirque Bidon” make you dream again: lhe historic French company that travels on carriages.

Despite the serious difficulties caused by the flood that hit part of Emilia-Romagna and thanks to the commitment of the administrations and the local population who work to restore normality, the caravan of jugglers, acrobats, storytellers, chickens and other farmyard animals traveling at the slow pace of horse-drawn carriages is about to arrive in Emilia-Romagna.

After the success of the summer tours which brought him back to Italy in 2016 and 2018 after long years of absence, Ater Foundation and the contemporary circus production center Teatro Necessario Circo di Parma report to Emilia-Romagna the Cirque Bidon, one of the companies that have contributed most to the birth of contemporary Italian and European circus.

Led by founder François Rauline said Bottle, the circus returns to cross the Alps for a tour lasting over 3 months, che fine on 3 September 2023 it will stop in 17 municipalities in Emilia-Romagna, exceeding 80 repeats, between the provinces of Bologna, Ravenna, Modena, Reggio Emilia and Parma, thanks to the precious support of local administrations, the Emilia-Romagna Region, the Ministry of Culture, Fondazione Nuovi Mecenati and numerous local sponsors.

On this tour the company will bring the new show on stage, or rather "on the dance floor". Chacun ses rêves – To each his own dreams: a poetic journey in which theater mixes with dance and circus, comedy with lyricism, to share with the public the need to follow one's dreams.

Before the show, while the audience sits on the steps, the troupe prepares: the costumes are ironed, tea is drunk, the spectators are welcomed. Around the track all the caravans come to life, a few things on stage, a table, a few chairs: it will be the acrobats, actors, musicians who bring the action to the track, including comic scenes, gags and poetic moments.

“All spectators immediately understand, children in particular, that the aim of the company is to have fun and entertain, with a show in which theater blends with dance and circus and comedy with poetry - said the councilor Happy-. Cirque Bidon is a pioneer of contemporary European circus, which manages to make us dream with more artisanal shows than those of traditional circus, and which we welcome with real pleasure in Emilia-Romagna".

“Cirque Bidon has been waiting to return to Italy since 2020, the country where we feel at home and where the welcome is always extraordinary,” he said. François Rauline-. Finally, after years of work we have managed to build a tour that will really see us cross your region far and wide: we can't wait to meet all the audiences, not only in the evening at the show but also during the day at the camp or during our carriage rides. We are waiting for you to travel together on this journey which is part dream and part reality!”

Cirque Bidon and its history

Witness to a life choice that goes against the grain, a unique example of an art circus, which combines theater and poetry, Cirque Bidon was born in France in the 70s, in clear contrast to the traditional circus, that of exotic animals and large circus families. No hats and breathtaking numbers, just the track and the idea of ​​telling stories thanks to the skill of the performers.

François Rauline said "Bottle” is the legendary creator and beating heart of Cirque Bidon. After being one of the "fathers" of the Parisian movement that animated the French May in '68, François gave life to the idea of ​​this circus, a poetic, dreamlike and revolutionary artistic project, which began its wandering around Europe in 1976, proposing on stage a mix of theatre, acrobatics, live music and clowning. Three years later he arrived in Italy, where he remained for about twenty years, participating in the most important theater and circus festivals, and giving rise, more or less directly, to many of the companies born in Northern Italy in the 80s and 90s who brought their art to the streets and into public space. Nowadays, François Bidon's circus is the only one in business that continues, as a lifestyle choice, to travel with horse-drawn carriages, "consuming grass and not petrol".

A Fellini-like circus, which turned into legend and paved the way for the nouveau cirque, which has also conquered theaters today.

After 15 years of absence, in the summer of 2016 Teatro Necessario conceived and created the return to Italy of Cirque Bidon, for a tour of over thirty dates that crossed the whole of Northern Italy. In 2018 the success was repeated and now in 2023 Cirque Bidon is back on track.