The company-
Today -
Les Royales Marionnettes, it's...
° A professional touring puppet theater, born in 1941..
The company finds its roots in the tradition of Liège puppetry, fairground theater, and working-class culture.
° An artistic creation in service of an ideology for us, of a utopia according to others.
° A conviction that constantly shapes us: Art is worthless if we don't break down the barriers between audiences and artistic practices.
° A disbelief in the notion of talent that we fervently compensate for by sculpting our puppets, building our sets, writing our texts, driving our trucks, setting up our tent, managing our company, ...
° Taking the risk of addressing all the themes that keep us up at night, treating them through rigorous writing and direction, using a popular language, aiming for proximity with all audiences, absolutely all.
In short, a wonderful bunch of creators striving to put their convictions into action through delightfully eccentric shows.
... a Story!
In 1941, José Maquet founded the company in the Saint-Gilles neighborhood of Liège. His venue was bombed, and he became a traveling performer. His puppet theater was mounted on a cart, which he pulled with his dog, performing in shelters for passing the hat around for tips.
After the war, José began touring with an American army sidecar, and later with a 2CV.
In 1978, he created a new theater venue, "A l’Vil rouâle dè coq," and opened a puppeteer school, which he directed.
In 1991, José received the title of "Royal" for his company, marking 50 years of activity.
In 1991, José Maquet entrusted the management of the company to Didier Balsaux and Claire Willot.
... creations since 1992 ...
1992 : Spectacles de Rue - La Malédiction du P'tit Louis.
1995 : René Nez Coupé.
1996 : Folies Foraines
1997 : Jean Biétrumé Picar
1999 : La Bulle
2000 : Trois Grains de Sable
2003 : Le Meunier des Fonds de Quarreux
2006 : Le Noël des Gueux/Le Jeu de Massacre/Le Walter Closed Orchestra
2008 : « La Légende Merveilleuse de Godefroy de Bouillon »
2010 : Et ta Sœur ?
2013 : Crash de là !
2014 : Fraise au Balcon
2016 : Les Fabuleux
2016 : La Porte du Diable
2018 : Les 4 fils Aymon
2021 : Poucet
... an organization
Les Royales Marionnettes are based in a warehouse located in a small village in Brabant Wallon, Belgium. The team of six permanent members works there on producing shows and managing the company. This is where the woodworking, sculpting, and blacksmithing workshops are found, along with the office, equipment storage, and the 200 puppets accumulated over time.
It’s also where our tent is located, where we occasionally perform and host other shows.
... an artistic approach
The approach, which we prefer to describe as artisanal, is driven by Didier Balsaux, but it is always contrasted and discussed as a team, based on the cultural values we share. Our choices are guided by our desire to reach the public and by our belief that the more art is sanctified, the less it concerns the public. Hence the importance of working closely with various cultural players so that art is everywhere—not just in theaters, of course, but also in barns, gardens, and town and village squares.
The company produces shows aimed at attracting a street audience, with the very basic intention of making theater accessible and entertaining. At the same time, it also creates more "demanding" performances, whether outdoors or indoors, always ensuring proximity with the audience, engaging with them, and breaking the fourth wall. In this, we are deeply attached to our traditional roots, specifically the puppet theater created in the 19th century by working-class miners, which depicted a popular hero in small neighborhood venues.
We have a deep love for this audience that still believes theater is not for them, and we prefer to cook delicious, even sophisticated, meals in a cozy bistro where audiences will mix, rather than in a Michelin-starred restaurant. Consider this a political stance.
The team -
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Didier Balsaux
Artistic Director (Ogre with Cannibal Tendencies)
He’s the head of the company and the main actor in the shows. He has a bad temper and swears like a sailor, but he sculpts the puppets and writes the performances. Plus, he’s the boss, so we have to keep him...
didier[AT]lesroyalesmarionnettes.be
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Claire Willot
Administrative Director (Omnivore with a Skunk Inclination)
More than just working in the shadows, she IS the shadow of the company.
claire[AT]lesroyalesmarionnettes.be
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Adrien Balsaux
Workshop Manager (Frugal Omnivore with a Weakness for chocolate spread)
He’s the XXL Swiss Army knife of the company, and for a hammer in love with a nail, he prefers finesse over force.
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Marion Balsaux
Project Manager (Moderate Omnivore with a Frugivore Tendency)
Her responsibilities are as varied as a Belgian cheese stall: a bit of everything...
In another life, she was an octopus. While holding a phone in each hand to handle part of the distribution, with her six other arms, she manages communication, accounting, secretarial tasks, archiving, and plays the bagpipes... Really, she’s not big, a bit soft, but she does a lot.diffusion[AT]lesroyalesmarionnettes.be
Since 1941 -
José Maquet is the founder of the company. He lost his father before the war and lived alone with his mother when the Germans invaded Liège. In 1941, at the age of 15, he created the company, but the garage he used as a theater was destroyed by a bombing. While he was stuck in a shelter during an air raid, an elderly woman, who had lost her home and was living in the shelter, promised him a reward if he would empty her chamber pot. José returned to the woman, and she handed him 20 francs—a fortune! José thought to himself, “If I can get twenty francs for emptying a chamber pot, surely I can get twenty francs for performing with puppets.”
The "Marionnettes Saint-Gilloises" were born! José salvaged a small cart from the rubble, on which he mounted a puppet theater. He had his dog pull the cart, and during air raids, José would visit shelters to perform for donations. He performed mystery plays and tales of chivalry. The backdrop was made from a piece of "linoleum" fastened upside down on a panel. On the black side visible to the audience, José painted the scenery using chalk diluted in water. During intermission, he would erase the backdrop and hastily paint the scenery for the second act.
José continued performing as an amateur after the war in markets, fairs, and village halls.
In 1990, Didier Balsaux, who had been performing at the "musée Tchantchès" since the age of 15, took over the company alongside José.
In 1991, the company received the title of "Royal" from His Majesty King Baudouin, in recognition of its fifty years of existence. Given their political views, this caused some embarrassment for the new generation, but instead of blushing, they decided to make people smile about it.
In the same year, Didier and his wife Claire became the directors of the company.
The company, which had been "amateur" until then, became professional in 1993. Rather than distancing himself from the traditional art form, Didier decided to embrace it, using traditional puppetry in the service of contemporary creations. With the help of Bernard Massuir and Vincent Zabus, he broke away from conventions, keeping only what, in his eyes, best defines traditional puppetry: popular heroes, inheritors of the Commedia dell'arte, who carry a popular and engaged message.
In 2006, "The Royal Saint-Gilles Puppet Company" became "Les Royales Marionnettes," for greater coherence and, above all, better communication.
It was ultimately the participation in "le festival jeune public de Huy", numerous street festivals, and a selection at the Théâtre des Doms during the Avignon Festival that allowed the company to get a stamp on their left cheek: "To be consumed without moderation."