CIE STUPEFY / RÉMY BERTHIER
Swami
Suitable for 13+
1h15
An immersive experience blending mind-reading, magic, and virtual reality. In Swami, Rémy Berthier draws on a deeply personal ordeal—the loss of all his belongings in a fire—as raw material for the stage. The result is a work that hovers between illusion, storytelling, and technological immersion.
In this new work, Rémy Berthier brings together two worlds rarely seen side by side on stage: magic and virtual reality. Drawing from a traumatic experience—the sudden loss of all his belongings in a fire—he creates a piece of autofiction where illusion becomes a tool for reflection. The main character, a double of the artist himself, seeks refuge from collapse in a virtual reality headset. Each audience member is in turn invited to wear a headset, immersing them in a mental space where perception, illusion, and belief become indistinguishable. This encounter between the art of sleight of hand and technological immersion opens a rift in our relationship to reality. Gradually, reference points shift, reality drifts, and the boundaries between what we see, what we believe, and what we imagine begin to blur. An immersive experience that weaves together mind-reading and digital technology, confronting each viewer with the inner workings of their own perception.
The use of the virtual reality headset is not recommended for children under 13 or for individuals with certain medical conditions (including epilepsy, certain personality disorders, or severe vertigo). An alternative solution using a tablet may be offered, subject to availability.
Some fakirism scenes may be disturbing for sensitive audiences. The performance also includes sequences in low light, as well as the use of haze and sparkling lighting effects.
Concept and performance Rémy Berthier Stage management and interactions Camille Faye, Dylan Foldrin Artistic and scientific collaboration Fleur Hopkins-Loféron Artistic collaboration Groupe Fantôme – Clément Aubert, Romain Cottard, Paul Jeanson Sound design Dylan Foldrin VR engineering Quentin Misslin 3D modeling Quentin Misslin, Micha Gourovitch Administrative support Yasna Mujkic Project development support Nicolas Rosette Freediving coaching Dan Arbogast Technical support Marc Rigaud, Sylvain Vip, Maxime Schucht, Antoine Vanel, Thibaut Le Garrec Interns Martin Ageorges, Martin Leblon
Production Compagnie Stupefy Co-productions and support Ministry of Culture – Innovative Digital Services, La Villette EPPGHV Paris, Magic Wip and Compagnie Le Phalène, Espace Périphérique, Scène Nationale d’Aubusson – Théâtre Jean Lurçat, Théâtre Public de Montreuil – National Dramatic Centre, the cities of Goussainville, Gonesse, and Villeparisis as part of a territorial residency, the Île-de-France Region, the City of Montreuil, the Val d’Oise department, OFQJ Biennale Elektra Montréal project
The pre-production phase of the show benefited from the Chimères programme of the Ministry of Culture led by Le Lieu unique – Scène nationale de Nantes, Théâtre Nouvelle Génération – CDN de Lyon (TNG), in partnership with L’Espace des arts – Scène nationale de Chalon-sur-Saône and CN D – Centre National de la Danse.
Acknowledgements Clémentine Schmidt and Nicolas Boudier, with whom we imagined “Les inconscients”, and all participants in the Chimères project.
Practical information
Little Villette
Metro
Line 5 - Porte de Pantin station
Tramway
Line 3b - Porte de Pantin station
Bus
Bus 75, 151 - Porte de Pantin stop
Parking
Q-Park
Philharmonie
Q-Park
Cité de la Musique - La Villette
Q-Park
Cité de la Musique - Conservatoire
Parking
Cité des Sciences
Bike Chap
Vélib' docking points
Bike racks
Bike racks are available inside the Espace Chapiteaux area. You may leave your electric bike there with the battery attached.
This venue is:
- Accessible to individuals with reduced mobility.
- Inaccessible to deaf individuals without accompaniment.
- Partially accessible to individuals with hearing aids.
- Accessible to visually impaired and blind individuals.
- Several dining options available in the park before or after the show, discover them HERE.
Access to the venue is subject to a security check.
- The following are prohibited: all glass containers, sharp or blunt objects, weapons of any kind or replica weapons, animals except guide dogs for the blind, large luggage or bulky bags, and batteries for electric bikes or scooters.
- Security officers have sole discretion over which items are allowed or not.
- Bringing food into the performance hall is not permitted.
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