NEWS

Compagnie Focus & Chaliwaté in association with MimeLondon present Dimanche this January

At the crossroads of puppetry, dance and theatre, Dimanche is an award-winning co-production by Belgian companies Focus and Chaliwaté.

13 November 2024

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At the crossroads of puppetry, dance and theatre, Dimanche is an award-winning co-production by Belgian companies Focus and Chaliwaté, which comes to Sadler’s Wells home in the West End, Peacock Theatre from Wednesday 29 January – Saturday 1 February 2025, presented in association with MimeLondon. 

Dimanche is set sometime in the near future when humanity has failed to adapt to the new environmental reality of climate change. Amid the chaos, a family attempts to maintain a normal lifestyle and enjoy its traditional family gathering, hilariously turning a blind eye to the surrounding mayhem as strong winds and torrential rain rage outdoors. 

Meanwhile, somewhere above the Arctic Circle, three travelling wildlife reporters are doing their best to document the apocalypse. With what little equipment they have they seek to film Earth’s last living species: three wild animals on the brink of extinction. 

Using lo-fi FX wizardry, miniature vehicles, puppetry, video, and visual comedy, Dimanche paints a tender and witty portrait of human ingenuity and stubbornness in trying to preserve their everyday habits in a world collapsing around them.  

Chaliwaté and Focus said: “We wanted to take a closer look at how we all seem to attempt to keep things together at all costs. 

With their shared interest in developing new and unusual forums of visual theatre, Chaliwaté and Focus joined forces to produce Dimanche, which has proved an international hit since its first performances, including at the 2024 Edinburgh International Festival. 

MimeLondon is a new curatorial project promoting thought provoking, unusual work, created by Helen Lannaghan and Joseph Seelig, directors of London International Mime Festival (LIMF), which ended in 2023 after five decades of award-winning success. 

BSL interpreted post-show talk on Thursday 30 January 2025 

Recommended age 9+