What follows are snippets of Pep Bou Reviews and announcements I found on the web. My computer translated them from their various languages. Sorry for strange choice of words. They paint an incredible picture though, you have to admit!
Bufaplanetes
Purcell Room
Fri 23 - Sun 25 Jan Fri - Sat 8pm, Sat - Sun mats 4pm
£12.50 (£9 concs)
In one of the most extraordinary creations imaginable, Catalan theatre magician Pep Bou conjures a seductive planetarium of brilliant colour, airiness and light. Infused with the alchemy and off- beat humour of an exotic Mediterranean tradition of visual theatre, Bufaplanetes explores a secret universe and its mysteries, great and small. Pure enchantment, technical wizardry, fleeting and fragile - and it's all done with soap bubbles! A classic. Suitable for all ages.
Pep Bou grew up in Barcelona where he originally trained as an architect. In a twenty year performance career his work has held audiences spellbound around the world. Bufaplanetes was previously featured in a sold-out season at the 1998 Festival.
Early booking recommended.
'Never have I been so enchanted.... Bufaplanetes has won a string of awards in Europe and it's not hard to see why. It's funny, enchanting and simply delightful'. Evening Post. New Zealand
Presented in association with SBC
Bufaplanetes
Corn Exchange, Newbury
Wowing audiences since its premiere in 1982 with a string of awards to its name, Bufaplanetes is the creation of Spanish artist Pep Bou.
Pep Bou blows bubbles, some filled with smoke and others bathed in colours. Some bubbles are blown inside others and then pulled back through in a science-defying act. Pep Bou creates a secret universe, a bubble planetarium of colour and light. It is a fragile solar system, which could burst and vanish at any moment.
"Pep Bou created magic and my seven-year-old son and I were spellbound." The Evening Post, Wellington New Zealand
The Catalan artist Pep Seine fishing has offered to the public of the Universal Exhibition of Aichi a appetizer for the week of Spain in Japan , that begins east Monday, and whose calendar of activities has opened the actor of theater of the soap pomps.
Hundreds of spectators have attended incredulous the games of Seine fishing and its companion, Luis Beviá, that have created humorous situations between bubbles of different sizes.
Times the pomps took control inside of smoke, that were placed in the face and the head of Beviá and operated as a horns, waking up the laughter of the public, and in other occasions, were stretched until forming a window , or grouped in a thread until forming a color worm.
"To manipulate bubbles in the scene it has a visual load that lines the impossible thing, people cannot be thought that she can happen what she is seeing, and then, exclaims", has commented Seine fishing, that 23 years ago happened of mimo and the traditional theater to this form of expression that combines both with the soap pomps.
It is not easy to obtain, it has explained the artist, since in each
spectacle the conditions of the atmosphere change , and the pomps last time more or less or react of different way according to if there is sufficient humidity (when they resist more of a minute, and they are possible to be combined) or the air is dry (and they explode to the twenty seconds).
Work of precision. "It is a work of precision within the anarchy of the soap pomp", summarized before the performance, to which the humidity of the
near port of Nagoya helped enough, because the pomps lasted the necessary thing to make the spectacle without repeating too many bubbles.
On the public, it commented that everywhere the reaction is different, and that "not because we make bubbles we are making a spectacle for children, although we did not exclude them either, but we thought about the boy of 30 or 40 years , that is let take and it goes or", clarified. "In that sense, in front of the bubbles we are enough similarities all the human beings", concluded.
Ambrossia
Pep Bou, Michele Emmer and the soap bubbles
Duse Theatre
8.30 pm
With his performance “Ambrossia”, Pep Bou gives us another glimpse of the visual poetry of the soap bubble, a fragile, unpredictable vehicle which prevents people from seeing their own destinies. The contact between imaginary film and historical characters, and the small, large, fleeting soap bubbles, full of lather and smoke, produces comic situations and hints at man’s fleeting existence.
?tre in scene in second half of the Seventies, as a member of the exercise of mimes and actors who characterize this time. Its preparation as technical architect and his passion for the visual arts and visual, confer a strong sensitivity of transitory spaces and ?ductile forms to him.
It had made its place in the history of the theatre, as a founder member of various companies (Pa of Ral, Viu Viu Teatre). And, in 1982, it launches out as a recluse in the theatre of the soap bubbles.
by
Jorge Wagensberg
Diàfan not only referred to the transparency of the bubbles, also with the characters who do them and demolish. They are inhabitants of the imaginary worlds which show the gasoline of human reality. The air that they breathe and which is closed in the bubbles is a projection of its true existence.
The year 2003, the company Pep Bou accepted the price PREMI ARC which is an invaluable recognition of all its career theatrical. Its theatrical activity is supplemented with the setting in scene of two last works of dance-theatre of MARTA CARRASCO: Aiguardent (1996), White of Ombra (Retying Camille Claudel) (1998) and Mira' m (dicen tantas cosas) (2000) as well as the televised series production SOAP (1996).
Water has a skin. And it is for that which a body denser than water can float without being wet. It is for that that a water drop holds on a sheet. Or suspended with it. It is for that that water makes of foam when it falls from a little high. It is for that that the soapy water or the beer makes of foam when they fall from even less higher. It is for that that one can select only one drop and to place it in the medium of the scene, under fires of the projectors, the glance of witnesses in the expectancy. A bubble is a fragile spherical water surface dividing the world into two parts: one in-of-the air and one out-of-the air.
The bubble is a made transitory object of air wrapped in liquid. As small as it is, it changes the uncertainty of its environment. It trembles, rolls, fall, goes up, changes form, size, color, transparency, position, weight... The vital constants of a bubble cannot leave an extremely narrow margin. And, if that arrives, then "ping! ", in a flash the bubble bursts in thousand water particles.
A vibrating sphere of air with water skin can move on vertical a water blade trembling until plugging some another, to embrace it and remain in the reality of this world after fusion. Another can be strangled, consume the mitosis and persist some time after fission. There are bubbles which are put in row and decide to give life to a caterpillar à.rayures until, "ping! ", the caterpillar is transformed into another insect.
There are bubbles which engage too much in evolutions which come very close to limit of complexity and stability. There are bubbles which one does not know very well what
they are making. Others which make jokes or which propose plays.
Pep Bou is a dreamer of impossibilities and improbabilities. The impossible forms fight to reach reality and the improbable ones arrive there.
DIÀFAN : improbable beauty and intelligence.
BUFAPLANETES
Based on the development of the soap bubbles which are fully effective, dramatically speaking. The unforeseeable control of materials makes each representation a different spectacle and multiplies the expressive options. BUFAPLANETES was represented on the scenes of the whole world and in various festivals. It received many prices, like:
First Price of the International Festival of Theatre of Vienna (France) (1985).
"Applause" of Price "FAD Sebastià Gasch" (Spain) (1985). Special price of the Jury of the International Festival of Theatre of Cannes (France) (1986). Artistic price "Knurrhahn" of the town of Wilhelmshaven (Germany) (1993).
The poetry of Joan Brossa is linked in the transitory world of Pep Bou in a new work based on the soap bubbles and the vapor.
This spectacle amalgamates the theatre characteristic of Pep Bou with the sound world created by a chamber orchestra or symphonic. Bombolles amb Orquestra is the fruit of a meeting between the head of orchestra of Lithuania, Gintaras Rinkevicius, and the
company Pep Bou.
The International MimeFestival for Flanders,
2001.
"Ambrosia" - PEP BOU (Spain)
For the closing night Pep Bou once more raises the curtain on the visual poetry of soap bubbles. This time, in contrast to the previous shows, the bubbles were not an end in themselves but a means.
They are a fragile and completely unpredictable vehicle, from which the characters do not know the true destiny.
PEP SEINE FISHING
Based on the elaboration of the soap pomps like dramatic beings of total effectiveness. The unforseeable conduct of the materials causes that each spectacle is different and the expresivas options are multiplied.
And the theater of track for the modern spectacle, we have seen numerous new features that in fact are old: the use of Chinese shades, resurging of the magic, until even the explosion of the pyrotechnics, that stops we has been an important finding.
But in all this theater galaxy, no spectacle has known to combine better, the magic of the track with the one of the scene like Pep Seine fishing.
We have seen public of all the agape ages and out of breath as opposed to this calidoscópica representation. A poem where the text is mainly images, situations, sensations and ritmo. Els Comediants.
The thousand of representations of Bufaplanetes have been so full of creativity that no spectator who has repeated can say that he has seen the same spectacle, this not only happens by the capricious and unforseeable conducts of the soap pomps, but by
the continuous innovation that PEP SEINE FISHING has given their work. Bufaplanetes has participated in many international festivales and has received numerous prizes.
Pep Bou (Catalonia)
Creation of and with Pep Bou, Shine Bevia
Duration: 1h20 without entracte
He is the large Master of the soap bubbles, the brilliant improbable planet blower, creator of random, small or large, iridescent ortranslucent galaxies. Pep Bou carries out our common dream, that to enter a soap bubble without making it burst.
Here are twenty years that this Catalan artist walks his bubbles on all the significant scenes of the world. It proposes a single theatre, fact of visual poetry, emotion, humour and... of soap bubbles.
Bou accomodates us in his workshop to reveal some of its last inventions, and in particular a swimming pool of three hundred liters water where will create giant bubbles, true tunnels accomodating of funny characters.
Wonder of technique but also wonder of emotion: all these bubbles appear "animated" with the direction first of the term, they have each one their own personality, and one begins to look them like a little extraterrestrial characters, who would emerge from a
mysterious parallel time.
Enchanted universe, of beauty and humour, Pep Bou makes shine the bubbles, wedges them and handles them, has fun some and lights in our eyes of the unsatiated dreams of childhood.
Creation and direction: Pep Bou; interpreters: Pep Bou, Luis Bevià;
The visual poetry of the soap bubbles of the Catalan artist Pep Bou, interpreter to the maximum world-wide levels of the suggestions and surrealistic atmospheres of the "New Circus".
Regarding the previous shows, "Bufaplanetes" and "Sabó, sabó", the bubbles are not the aim, but the means of the rappresentazione here: fragile and unforeseeable vehicle, that it prevents to the personages to know their true destiny. The personages, inspire you to the work of scomparso the poet and Catalan dramatist Joan Brossa, and the soap small and great bubbles filled up of smoke and vapor produce comic situations of great delicacy and suggest the idea of the ephemeral existence of the man.
To Pep Bou it is placed side by side, in first part of the show, mathematician Michele Emmer, craftsman of the conference-show "the soap bubbles between art and science", that happening in edition 2003 of the Festival has collected large. Already with in a recent lesson-performance held to the Escola Tècnica Superior d' Arquitectura of the Vallès of the Universidad Politècnica de Catalunya, the two "wizards of the soap bubbles" are interested the acquaintance of the physical laws that govern the ductile bodies and evanescenti protagonists of their shows.
"When it is looked at to volteggiare a bubble embedded between others two is not believed next to the physical laws that control a similar behavior and determine a similar configuration - Pep Bou supports -. If but I did not try to arrive to the magic through the scientific acquaintance, those that I make would not be show".
Ambrossia
Visual poetry for two Catalan artists and of the thousands of soap bubbles
Thanks to Pep Bou and its accomplice, the ground becomes square like a soap bubble. Square and poetic. In "Ambrossia", these artists combine in an erudite alchemy and in an air way, the art of the bubbles, imagination and humour.
Because it is enough (apparently) to one nothing to make miracles with water, soap and breath. Test- tubes emergent of the bubbles round, pale, translucent, oblong, giant, iridescent. Rebellious or flexible bubbles, it is according to, but always fragile. One reaches here, while evolving/moving on the wire of a razor, the magic country of the transitory one.
Handled by two magicians attifés like clowns, inflated smoke of a cigarette or a vapor jet, the bubbles become movie screen, table tennis balls, balls of juggling, mirror where project the reflection of a tango improvised by their Masters, even aquarium where, by miracle, is introduced a red fish. Pep Bou and Luis Bevia thus reinvent dumb, tender and burlesques stories, inspired of the cinema, comic strip and animated drawing. Eternal stories.
After doesn't all, Ambrossia as a Catalan want to say "the nectar of the gods"? That of immortality.
duration : 1h20
Pep Bou: Bufaplanetes
ENGLAND
LONDON • Purcell Room • Ongoing
Catalan theatre magician Pep Bou conjures a seductive planetarium of brilliant colour, airiness and light. Bufaplanetes explores a secret universe and it's all done with soap bubbles! A classic. Suitable for all ages.
Royal Festival Hall Web Site
Ambrossia
PEP BOU ́s fleeting world in a new work based on soap bubbles and steam.
Catalan theatre magician PEP BOU stepped on a stage as a professional in the second half of the 70 ́s as part of movement of mimes and actors that characterised this period. His knowledge as an architect and his passion for fine and visual arts, bring together a strong sensitivity for fleeting spaces and ductile forms.
Pep Bou was member and founder of several companies as "Pa de Ral" or "La Viu Viu Teatre", but in 1982 he decides to go a step further and starts to work with soap bubbles. With Ambrossia Pep Bou once more raises the curtain on the visual poetry of soap bubbles.
PEP BOU
AMBROSSIA
Joan Brossa ́s poetry joins Pep Bou ́s fleeting world in a new work based on soap bubbles and steam.
This time, and different from previous shows “Bufaplanetes” and “Sabó, Sabó”, the bubbles are and end but a means in themselves. They become a fragile and completely unpredictable vehicle. This prevents the characters from knowing their true destiny.
The contact between fictitius, cinematicographic and historical characters and small, large, fleeting soap bubbles filled with foam and smoke produces comical situations with great delicacy. Hence, this theatre show intuitively suggests our ephemeral existence.
Family Choice
One of the most extraordinary creations imaginable, Catalan theatre magician Pep Bou conjures a seductive planetarium of brilliant colour, airiness and light. Bufaplanetes is a show full of whimsy and smiles, a real visual treat. Pure enchantment, technical wizardry, fleeting and fragile – and it’s all done with soap bubbles!
A classic suitable for all ages.
Theatre Studio
Relive your childhood through the visual poetry of soap bubbles. Only this time, the bubbles are not an end but a means in themselves, fragile and completely unpredictable.
With Ambrossia, Pep Bou’s bubble characters flit between the fictitious, cinematographic and historical, resulting in a combination of comical situations. A delightful show for young and old – catch the bubbles!
(80mins with no intermission)
Recommended for age 4 and above
LA VANGUARDIA “ A magnificient image”
EL PERIODICO “ His domain of the soapy structures builds a unique language based on the fragility to suggest solid emotions.” “ It’s an explosion of visual emotions"
EL PAIS “Pep Bou is a magician with water, air and light.” “Soap bubbles challenge rational laws.” “Alchemists dedicated to the transformation of the impossible in suit and tie”.
AVUI “ Diàfan is a poetical show, essentially visual, with a suggesting musical framework” “ Solid emotions, fragile architectures, transparencies and dreams, reality and imagination.” “ Pep Bou transforms physical laws in visual poetry.”
“He has learnt that a soap bubble is a gift, a surprise, an invitation to run into new roads.” “It’s an esthetic an existential luxury”.
Bufaplanetes......
PEP BOU is an excellent mime with arms long enough to reach the far away blue. He has succeeded with bubbles, flowers of the air, impossible waves in the same water.
This poetry of soap bubbles, equivalent to words, is the result of his wit. Where, on earth, can we register such unusual show? The star of the show is a big fish, son of the wind, which runs away from theatre routine. Nails and teeth of prose have nothing to do.
Bubbles, army of light, float in emptiness, which is the best way to assert a pact, and reminds us that we are have been born and we are, also going to die and that we are rings of a root that does not ask for doctors. Because ephemeral means that does not last. And humankind is nothing else but a constellation of ephemeral stars.
...With Ambrosia, PEP BOU, once more, raises the curtain on the visual poetry of soap bubbles. This time, and different from the previous shows Bufaplanetes and Sabó, Sabó, the bubbles are not an end but a means in themselves.
They become a fragile and completely unpredictable vehicle. This prevents the characters from knowing their true destiny.
The contact between fictitious, cinematographic and historical characters and small, large, fleeting soap bubbles filled with foam and smoke produces comical situations with great delicacy. Hence, this theatre show intuitively suggests our ephemeral existence...
WOW! Once again, it's www.PepBou.com. You're welcome.
Programme Details
7 Jan 2006 (Sat) 7:30pm
8 Jan 2006 (Sun) 2:30pm
Auditorium, Kwai Tsing Theatre
Tickets: $160,130,100
Did you see Pep Bou, the King of Bubbles from Spain, when
he last visited Hong Kong? He captivated the audience with
his fantastic bubble show.
This time, he has been invited to return by popular
request, with a new, brand and challenging show called
"Diafan". He and his guest will turn his bubbly world into
a fairyland, wafting with perfume and music. His bubbles,
like you and me, are never the same－some
are tiny as pearls, some are like trains and castles. Some
are luminous and shimmering, while others look white
because they are filled with smoke. Each has a personality,
too. Whether naughty, nifty or lazy, you will meet them
all. It is a show full of improbable beauty and
intelligence.
The first brand new show transforming physical laws into
visual poetry of magnificient imagination.
Pep Bou is a magician with water, air and light.
Diàƒan is a poetical show, essentially visual, with a
suggesting musical framework.
Solid emotions, fragile architectures, transparencies and
dreams, reality and imagination.
Pep Bou transforms physical laws into visual poetry.
Details of Performing Group
Pep Bou was member and founder of several companies as 'Pa
de Ral' or 'La Viu Viu Teatre', but in 1982 he decides to
go a step further and starts to work with soap
bubbles.