Collectif Quatre Ailes
Friday, October 23, 2026
Run Time: 25 min
North American Premiere
French with English surtitles
No late seating
A narrator begins reading Claude Ponti’s beloved book, Mille secrets de poussins, but things don’t go as planned… Full of mischief, the poussins (chicks) have hidden themselves in the library and start popping out of the books to play tricks on him—especially Blaise, who wears a funny red mask.
Accompanied by animated videos and multimedia effects, the performer, who acts as both storyteller and puppeteer, leads the audience into a playful world. Designed for audiences 3 and up, the show draws on the playful, poetic, and bizarre questions and answers that fill Claude Ponti’s work. Everyone is invited to travel freely to the other side of the pages and discover the magical world of the chicks.
“Between high-tech ingenuity and pure poetic wonder, the company captures the whimsical essence of Claude Ponti’s world. A stunning sensory experience for all generations.” — La Terrasse
Since 2003, Collectif Quatre Ailes has produced eleven stage and site-specific productions, establishing itself as a leading voice in contemporary visual and youth theater. Designed for audiences from age 3 to adulthood, the company’s work offers an innovative imagery-driven theater characterized by a sophisticated aesthetic and multi-layered dramaturgy that builds organic connections between generations.
At the core of its artistic process, the Collective deploys a hybrid language where video is poetically repurposed to become a living partner on stage. Through the lens of magical realism, its creations explore the “coming-of-age” journey and the power of imagination as an act of resistance. Each production, adapted from literary masterpieces (Murakami, Dickens, Walser, Maeterlinck, Supervielle) or iconic graphic novels and children’s books (Claude Ponti, Brian Selznick), serves as a vibrant invitation to rediscover literature.
Founded by Michaël Dusautoy (director and video artist) and Damien Saugeon (actor and acrobat), joined in 2005 by Annabelle Brunet (video and visual artist), the collective frequently collaborates with composer Nicolas Séguy, writer Frédéric Chevaux, and dramaturg Julie André.
Their productions have been presented across France’s most prestigious venues (National Dramatic Centers, National Stages) and internationally (Morocco, South Korea, Chile, Russia, Taiwan). Deeply committed to social engagement, the Collective leads extensive arts education and outreach programs within its local communities.
Stage Director & Artistic Director: Michaël Dusautoy
Performer / Lead Actor: Damien Saugeon
Original Author (from the book Mille secrets de poussins): Claude Ponti
Video Artist / Visual Design: Annabelle Brunet
Composer / Music: Nicolas Séguy
Sound Design: Damien Rottier
Set Construction: Emmanuel Laborde
Production: Collectif Quatre Ailes
Coproduction: Espace Jean Vilar (Arcueil).
Residency Support: Tréteaux de France – National Dramatic Center (CDN); Le PIVO – National Interest Commissioned Stage (Scène Conventionnée).
Institutional Support: Collectif Quatre Ailes is supported by the Région Île-de-France and the Conseil Départemental du Val-de-Marne
© Damien Journée
Monday, September 15, 2025 - Friday, June 26, 2026
L’Alliance New York and Studio in a School invite students to discover the work of French-speaking artists and create their own pieces that will be displayed in a new exhibition in L’Alliance New York’s Skyroom.
Saturday, September 13, 2025 - Sunday, July 12, 2026
North American Premiere
As a lighter version of the monumental installation Les plantamouves originally created for the Centre Pompidou in Paris, this exhibition-workshop combines the tactile whimsy of mobile sculpture with interactive dance, inviting audiences of all ages to engage with more than 240 vibrantly colorful foam pieces through inventive video tutorials.
Friday, December 4, 2026
Dahomey gives voice to objects displaced from their homeland. Part documentary, part reflection, the film follows the journey of 26 artworks from the Musée du quai Branly in Paris to the Republic of Benin, from where they were taken during the colonial conquest of the Kingdom of Dahomey in the nineteenth century.
Thursday, September 10, 2026 - Friday, June 25, 2027
In this workshop, students learn about the scientific processes at work behind climate change. Working in small groups, students will map out the complex relationship between human activity and the earth’s climate.
Friday, November 13, 2026
Following a class of 15-year-old students and their literature teacher François Marin, The Class explores dynamics between students and educators of a working-class Parisian neighborhood. Based on a semi-autobiographical novel by former teacher and writer François Bégaudeau, the film was awarded the Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival in 2008.
Tuesday, December 15, 2026
Based on Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale “The Shepherdess and the Chimney Sweep,” The King and the Mockingbird follows two young protagonists as they flee the clutches of a tyrannical king. As France’s first drawn animated feature in color, the surreal film has won the admiration of generations of viewers, filmmakers, artists, and illustrators.
Friday, October 9, 2026
North American Premiere
A Latin expression, literally meaning “in accordance with one’s wishes or until satiety,” Ad Libitum is a piece about the desire to create, to step outside oneself, to expand. Dancer Simon Le Borgne and musician Ulysse Zangs explore the idea of molting, of emptying yourself through dance and live music. Driven by a musical score of drums, electric guitar and synths, the performance expresses the need to change skin and shed all substance, as well as the need to embody yourself, to fill your own container.
{acf_additional_info_event_event_expanded_intro}
