WALLONIA-Brussels International and the Institut français d’Ecosse are delighted to welcome Pie Tshibanda for the first time in the UK for two performances of his popular show, ‘Un Fou noir au pays des Blancs’.
After a successful run in Belgium and France and all around the French speaking countries, the Congolese storyteller will perform in Edinburgh and Glasgow in March 2012.
In ‘Un Fou noir au pays des Blancs’, Pie Tshibanda tells his own story, one of an African man arriving from Congo in Belgium, claiming political asylum.
Embarrassing witness and threatened with death in his own country, Tshibanda must flee to Brussels where he arrives in the cold winter of 1995. From the first moment when he is searched by security, he understands a few things: he is alone, he is black and he has just lost his respectability. That’s where his journey, through administrations to get his status of political refugee, starts. This endless personal journey will turn into a real initiation not only for the main character but also for the wider western community where he will gradually manage to settle.
Says a spokesperson: “Through storytelling and always with great humour and ingenuousness, Pie shares with his audience his experience of a stranger discovering a new country and a new way of life. The cultural shock is tough and his storytelling forgets no details, from the unsympathetic administration employees to the first contacts with his new neighbours and the first encounters with racist prejudices…”
Pie Tshibanda has presented more than 1,000 performances of his show in France, Belgium, Congo, Burkina Faso, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Germany, Luxembourg, Benin, Senegal, Québec and New-Caledonia.
He will perform for the first time now in the UK with two shows, at the Institut français d’Ecosse in Edinburgh on Tuesday 20 March and at the Alliance Française in Glasgow on Wednesday 21 March 2012, as part of the Journée Internationale de la Francophonie (International Day of French language).
Edouard Notte, representative of Wallonia-Brussels International in Edinburgh, says: ‘Pie Tshibanda is a generous and genuine storyteller who shows us the realities of the world we live in. The show plays the role of a mirror for us. We laugh a lot but it also shows us an accurate image of ourselves, our prejudices, our fears and anguishes. It’s highly entertaining but we can’t forget that the story he tells us is his own true story.’
‘Un Fou noir au pays des Blancs’ is adapted from Tshibanda’s book of the same name published by the Editions Pré aux sources in 1999. The text is studied at Edinburgh University, in fourth-year Francophone Literature course.
Pie Tshibanda is a writer and storyteller but also a psychotherapist and professor of Humanities. Born in Congo in 1951, he came to Brussels in 1995, where he started to tell his story in schools. He started to perform on stage in 1999 after his book was published. But that’s only in 2001 that he became highly popular and started touring all over the world. In 2006, he celebrated his 1,000th performance. When he is not on stage, Tshibanda is involved in many projects supporting education in Belgium and in Congo.
‘Pie was brave enough to come to us. Today, people are rushing to see him, moved by this unexpected sun. ‘ Le Soir (Belgium)
‘It is often funny, sharp, very enlightening: we learn, how surprising, that we occidental people are not very good in terms of hospitality and still need some perfecting classes.’ Le Canard enchainé (France)
More info on Pie Tshibanda
Watch an extract of the show: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfZjdSHXJ30
Interview of Tshibanda: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHKh9ffsuLU&feature=related
HD photos are available on demand. For interview requests, please contact us:
Vanessa Bismuth – pr@ifecosse.org.uk – 0131 225 5366
Listings information
‘Un Fou noir au pays des blancs’
Storytelling show by Pie Tshibanda
In French (Intermediate level / B1)
- Date: Tuesday 20 March 2012, 6.30 pm
Venue: Institut français d’Ecosse, 13 Randolph Crescent, Edinburgh
Tickets: £8 (£5)
Booking and information: 0131 226 5366
- Date: Wednesday 21 March 2012, 6.30 pm
Venue : Alliance Française de Glasgow, 3 Park Circus, Glasgow
Tickets : £8 (£5)
Booking and information: 0141 331 4080
- end -
Notes to Editors
About Wallonia-Brussels International
Wallonia-Brussels International, the public body representing Francophone Belgium abroad, is in charge, among other duties, with Francophone Belgian international cultural policies. Through its delegations and permanent centres worldwide Wallonia-Brussels International promotes Francophone artists in collaboration with local agencies from the public and the private sector.
In addition to a network of almost a 100 Walloon economic and commercial attachés and cultural representatives covering the whole world, Wallonia-Brussels is represented abroad and within the organisations of the European Union through its Delegations in 16 countries. Its presence in Avignon is embodied by Le Théâtre de Doms, a venue dedicated to Belgian Francophone artists now well established in Europe.
About the Institut français d’Ecosse
The Institut français d’Ecosse exists to promote French language and culture in Scotland, by providing French courses and organising events (film screenings, talks, exhibitions, concerts, etc.). It is also its aim to encourage cross-cultural exchange between France and Scotland, in cooperation with Scottish Francophile institutions.
After a year of cultural exchanges between Brittany and Scotland in 2011, the Institute surfs on the Olympics wave in 2012, giving a sporting flavour to its cultural events. Entitled ‘La Tête et les Jambes’, this unique programme features alternative artistic performances mixing artistic purposes to questionings about man’s connection with his body.
www.ifecosse.org.uk/Head-and-Legs
About the Alliance Française de Glasgow
Established in 1982, the Alliance Française de Glasgow is one of the thirteen AF teaching in the United Kingdom. Run by a Board of Directors, it is located in Park Circus, under the same roof as the Goethe-Institute since 2004. As a local, not-for-profit organisation, it reflects the desire to share with others the love of the language, culture and other various aspects of the French way of life. We offer courses for adults and children of all levels and all ages. Teaching activities are complemented by a wide range of cultural and social events such as the cafés, the French Film Festival, exhibitions etc. Our multimedia library also offers a wide selection of items in French (DVDs, books, CDs).
About the Journée Internationale de la Francophonie
Every 20 March, French speaking people from every continent celebrate and promote French language by organising special events: concerts, talks, exhibitions, competitions in more than 120 countries. The Journée Internationale de la Francophonie is coordinated by the International Organisation for La Francophonie, whose mission is to embody the active solidarity between its 75 member states and governments (56 members and 19 observers), which together represent over one-third of the United Nations’ member states and account for a population of over 890 million people, including 220 million French speakers.
www.francophonie.org
Press contact
Vanessa Bismuth
Institut français d’Ecosse
Communications and PR Officer
0131 220 7751 / pr@ifecosse.org.uk
MEDIA RELEASE posted by the Institut français d’Ecosse. You to can post your media releases (aka press releases) on allmediascotland.com. For more information, email here.
Wallonia-Brussels International and the Institut français d’Ecosse are delighted to welcome Pie Tshibanda for the first time in the UK for two performances of his popular show ‘Un Fou noir au pays des Blancs’.
After a successful run in Belgium and France and all around the French speaking countries, the Congolese storyteller will perform in Edinburgh
and Glasgow in March 2012.
In ‘Un Fou noir au pays des Blancs’, Pie Tshibanda tells his own story, one of an African man arriving from Congo in Belgium claiming political asylum. Embarrassing witness and threatened with death in his own country, Tshibanda must flee to Brussels where he arrives in the cold winter of 1995. From the first moment when he is searched by security, he understands a few things: he is alone, he is black, and he has just lost his respectability. That’s where his journey through administrations to get his status of political refugee starts. This endless personal journey will turn into a real initiation not only for the main character but also for the wider western community where he will gradually manage to settle.
Through storytelling and always with great humour and ingenuousness, Pie shares with his audience his experience of a stranger discovering a new country and a new way of life. The cultural shock is tough and his storytelling forgets no details, from the unsympathetic administration employees to the first contacts with his new neighbours and the first encounters with racist prejudices…
Pie Tshibanda has presented more than 1000 performances of his show in France, Belgium, Congo, Burkina Faso, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Germany, Luxembourg, Benin, Senegal, Québec, and New-Caledonia… He will perform for the first time now in the UK with two shows, at the Institut français d’Ecosse in Edinburgh on Tuesday 20 March and at the Alliance Française in Glasgow on Wednesday 21 March 2012, as part of the Journée Internationale de la Francophonie (International Day of French language).
Edouard Notte, representative of Wallonia-Brussels International in Edinburgh says: ‘Pie Tshibanda is a generous and genuine storyteller who shows us the realities of the world we live in. The show plays the role of a mirror for us. We laugh a lot but it also shows us an accurate image of ourselves, our prejudices, our fears and anguishes… It’s highly entertaining but we can’t forget that the story he tells us is his own true story.’
‘Un Fou noir au pays des Blancs’ is adapted from Tshibanda’s book of the same name published by the Editions Pré aux sources in 1999. The text is studied at Edinburgh University in fourth year Francophone Literature course.
Pie Tshibanda is a writer and storyteller but also a psychotherapist and professor of Humanities. Born in Congo in 1951, he came to Brussels in 1995, where he started to tell his story in schools. He started to perform on stage in 1999 after his book was published. But that’s only in 2001 that he became highly popular and started touring all over the world. In 2006, he celebrated his 1000th performance. When he is not on stage, Tshibanda is involved in many projects supporting education in Belgium and in Congo.
‘Pie was brave enough to come to us. Today, people are rushing to see him, moved by this unexpected sun. ‘
Le Soir (Belgium)
‘It is often funny, sharp, very enlightening: we learn, how surprising, that we occidental people are not very good in terms of hospitality and still need some perfecting classes.’
Le Canard enchainé (France)
More info on Pie Tshibanda
Watch an extract of the show: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfZjdSHXJ30
Interview of Tshibanda: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHKh9ffsuLU&feature=related
HD photos are available on demand. For interview requests, please contact us.
Listings information
‘Un Fou noir au pays des blancs’
Storytelling show by Pie Tshibanda
In French (Intermediate level / B1)
· Date: Tuesday 20 March 2012, 6.30 pm
Venue: Institut français d’Ecosse, 13 Randolph Crescent, Edinburgh
Tickets: £8 (£5)
Booking and information: 0131 226 5366
· Date: Wednesday 21 March 2012, 6.30 pm
Venue : Alliance Française de Glasgow, 3 Park Circus, Glasgow
Tickets : £8 (£5)
Booking and information: 0141 331 4080
- end -
Notes to Editors
About Wallonia-Brussels International
Wallonia-Brussels International, the public body representing Francophone Belgium abroad, is in charge, among other duties, with Francophone Belgian international cultural policies. Through its delegations and permanent centres worldwide Wallonia-Brussels International promotes Francophone artists in collaboration with local agencies from the public and the private sector.
Contact: Vanessa Bismuth
Phone: 0131 225 5366
Email: pr@ifecosse.org.uk
Website: http://www.ifecosse.org.uk
