Perceval

Perceval comes to Transbordeur

At Transbordeur, we are delighted to open our doors to Perceval, a stage experience that reimagines a timeless quest through a contemporary lens. Presented in our Lyon–Villeurbanne home, the piece invites audiences into an intimate, finely chiseled world of language, imagery, and sound. Our team is preparing a configuration tailored to the poetry of the performance: a carefully designed seating plan for optimal sightlines, immersive lighting drawn from our concert-grade rig, and an acoustic setting that preserves the nuance of whispers as well as the resonance of music. Perceval explores initiation, doubt, and courage with a deft mix of humor and gravity, and we are crafting an atmosphere that heightens each shift in mood. From the moment you enter the hall, the scenography will guide your senses—gauzy textures, sculpted beams of light, and spatialized sound cues that move with the narrative—so that the legendary journey feels present, urgent, and vividly alive within the architecture of Transbordeur.

Artistic momentum and current creative life

The artist behind Perceval arrives with palpable momentum: recent seasons have seen new collaborations with composers and designers, a refreshed dramaturgy that deepens the emotional stakes, and a touring pace that brings the work to diverse audiences across France. For this visit, the creative team is unveiling an evolved scenographic language—lighter, more agile elements that allow the story to breathe and travel across the stage with elegant clarity. The production’s musical throughline has also matured, weaving acoustic motifs and minimal electronics into a score that underscores the text without overpowering it. Alongside the tour, the company has been engaging in workshops with students and local collectives, sharing insight into their process from table read to stage cue. That commitment to transmission is part of why we are proud to host Perceval at Transbordeur: it aligns with our aspiration to present works that resonate beyond the evening itself and spark conversation about how ancient narratives can speak to contemporary lives.

Our venue is preparing a bespoke welcome for Perceval that draws on the strengths of Transbordeur’s main hall: precise line-array sound tuned for clarity of speech, a versatile stage depth that supports layered movement and shadow play, and a flexible seating layout designed to keep the performers close to the audience. Expect a performance window that favors immersion—doors opening well ahead of curtain time so you can settle in, explore the ambience, and let the prologue wash over you. We recommend arriving early to enjoy the foyer and find your preferred vantage point; accessible seating and clear wayfinding will be readily available. The technical crew has coordinated a refined cue structure to ensure seamless transitions between the piece’s intimate confessions and its moments of luminous grandeur. Perceval is the kind of creation that transforms a room into a living landscape, and our mission is to let the artistry shine: unobtrusive hospitality, meticulous audio and light, and a stage that becomes a threshold between myth and the here-and-now of Lyon at Transbordeur.