Rodeo

‘RODEO’ is a multidimensional work that brings together text, light, music, and scenography into an immersive visual and auditory experience. By letting go of traditional narrative structures, the piece unfolds organically through interwoven stories. These stories are nourished by Drouet’s personal experiences, yet transcend the purely biographical. In this sense, ‘RODEO’ explores both personal and broader socio-political themes.

Fire plays a central role throughout. It symbolizes inflammation in the human body (as in, for example, Covid). Fire also evokes memories of illegal street races (“rodeos”) and burning cars during riots such as those in Villeurbanne in the 1980s, the city where Drouet grew up. Finally, fire refers to the massive wildfires that devastate forests and disrupt the balance of the earth.

The distinctive scenography invites the audience to gather around a central structure, as if coming together around a campfire. Smoke, a powerful symbolic element, drifts through this shared space, making memories, traumas, and social tensions tangible. At the same time, it heightens both the deeply personal and the collective experience.

In collaboration with GeDurft!