written by webmistress

Saturday 21 July 2012 – At the Festival Lacoste, in the heart of the Luberon, Gérard Chambre and his bewitching troupe have once again captivated their audience with their latest spectacular Musical : « Charles Trenet »

The long standing ovation at the end of the show was the praise of an audience charmed beyond measure.  In his introduction to this musical, director Gérard Chambre wrote:

The world has always felt the need to laugh, to sing, to celebrate...
Especially in these times of history where the threat of a storm and its clouds are rumbling ... (translated from Gérard’s French text)

As one of many hundreds of spectators – including Monsieur Pierre Cardin – in the courtyard of the castle once owned by the Marquis de Sade, I can tell you that Gérard and his team of Estelle Boin, Véronique Fourcaud, Virginie Colette Simson, Mika Apamian, Pierre Babolat and Fabrice Coccitto put us all under a magic spell that summer night.  Without a doubt, this show must be described as...

Gérard has created a stupendous chef d'oeuvre.  From the very moment the show began with the beautiful melody of « L'âme des Poetes » we were swept into the atmospheric world of les Zazous - the swingers - Charles Trenet - friendship - rebellion - love - loyalty - melancholy...!

What a treasure to watch Véronique Fourcaud as the hilarious Chieftain Brindille in song and dance! What a unique pleasure to see Gérard Chambre as the swinging abbot, wearing workman boots and outrageously colored striped socks with his long black robe, singing and dancing up and down the stairs of the set! The beautiful Estelle Boin and Virginie Colette Simson, wearing fantastical sunglasses as the young Zazous, gave us a supreme performance – followed by the handsome Mika Apamian and Pierre Babolat, looking gorgeous in their Zazous outfits, and the endless enjoyment of seeing the adorable Fabrice Coccitto!  The duet between Estelle Boin and Gérard Chambre was a superlative treat, both vocally and visually.

The period costumes were fanciful and fun – platform shoes and bobby-socks with floral dresses for the girls, and baggy bright jackets over gaudy shirts for the men.  The obligatory umbrellas in startling pink must also be mentioned, though unfortunately the Mistral wind chose that premiere evening to blow in and break them! 

My sincerest compliments and congratulations to the whole team on their dazzling performance.  One cannot help but believe that Charles Trenet, whose 100th birthday we are going to celebrate next year, was looking down upon the stage in the courtyard of the Château of Lacoste -  enthusiastic, enthralled, and singing to the angels

Thank you dear Gérard, Estelle, Véronique, Virginie, Mika, Fabrice, Pierre, Thierry and the staff of CHARLES TRENET spectacular  musical.
May your production have the immense success it deserves.