The universe of this burlesque stripping troupe is built around stereotypical and grotesque characters. From their expression derives a primitive, violent, visceral vitality which is revealed in their refusal to rationalise acts. The Kisses advocate the literal expression of regressive fantasies, whose theme often revolves around sex and gluttony.
On the one hand, I wanted to push our interrogation further: the body in space, the actor mime, the actor dancer. The point was to find the right pace, movements which come up in a sequence at a wild pace and develop comical aesthetics.
These choreographic highlights opened on something playful. They also made it possible to show, beyond the blood and thunder, the very nature of emotions and distress of the characters.
On the other hand, I wanted to bring into play an intoxicating sequence of scenes, as the leading thread of the story. I had to build a visual world that could echo the expressive potential of the burlesque. We looked into silent cinema, pantomime, painting and comic books. The ever-present twisted use of music completed this stage world without ever being illustrative.
On top of the image and sound, there has been the input of the stage research and costumes by Delphine Ciavaldini, and the lighting by Jean Luc Channonat. Their respective worlds reinforced the non standard evolution of the characters through their eccentricity.

Jean-Emmanuel Pagni