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Angélique at the Theatre
Czech Musical Revival set for 2016
The credits page which does list that the musical is based upon Anne Golon's Angélique
Obsazení muzikálu ANGELIKA (Cast)
ANGELIKA – Kamila Nývltová / Michaela Gemrotová / Alžbeta Bartošová
JOFFREY DE PEYRAC – Josef Vojtek / Marian Vojtko
DESGREZ – Tomáš Trapl / Bohouš Josef
NICOLAS – Josef Vágner / Jan Kopečný
ŠPÍNA – Peter Pecha / Jakub Kudrnáč / Michael Veselý
KRÁL LUDVÍK XIV. – Vilém Čok / Martin Šemík
BACHTIARY BEJ – Ali Amiri / Jiří Daniel
GENDÉRE – Michal Tůma / Robert Kryl
GENO – Aleš Háma / Zdeněk Izer / Bronislav Kotiš
STELIEN – Ivan Vyskočil / Jakub Wehrenberg / Jan Kuželka / Petr Pečený
CONTOIRE – Yvetta Blanarovičová / Radka Fišarová / Olga Lounová
MONTESPAN – Zdenka Trvalcová / Lucia Jagerčíková / Markéta Procházková
PANÍ M.M. – Ljuba Dančenko / Nelly Danko
In production (2016) - Joffrey (Josef Vojtek) and Angélique (Kamila Nývltová) - All images © Autorem fotografií je exkluzivně pro Musical.cz Radek Janda.
Angélique (Kamila Nývltová) and Joffrey (Josef Vojtek) - All images © Autorem fotografií je exkluzivně pro Musical.cz Radek Janda.
Madame de Montespan (Zdenka Trvalcová) and Louis XVI (Vilém Čok) - All images © Autorem fotografií je exkluzivně pro Musical.cz Radek Janda.
Angélique (Michaela Gemrotová) and Nicholas (Jan Kopečný) - All images © Autorem fotografií je exkluzivně pro Musical.cz Radek Janda.
Informal pose of the cast - All images © Autorem fotografií je exkluzivně pro Musical.cz Radek Janda.
Full Cast In costume - All images © Autorem fotografií je exkluzivně pro Musical.cz Radek Janda.
Czech stage musical 2007:
Web Review (in French) by Alan Slivinsky here
Anne Golon was treated with the respect she deseves at the opening night of the Czech Musical production. Seen here raising a toast to the production and with members of the cast on stage.
Anne Golon with Josef Vojtek (who will reprise his role of Joffrey in the 2016 version of the musical) at the reception held for her on opening night
Recently provided image by Nadine Goloubinoff of her mother, Anne Golon being feted on stage in the Czech Republic in 2007 - accompanying this image was the news that the musical is to be revived in 2016.
1995 - Paris - A truly Lavish Production
Cécile Bois and Robert Hossein on the cover of the Theatre Programme / Poster
Paris Match carries the story of Cécile Bois chosen as the new Angélique - 'It's her!' proclaims the headliner.
Once in costume and make-up Cécile Bois certainly does the eponymous heroine proud.
The following article is shared by Isabelle, from the French magazine Paris Match, issue # 2406, dated July 6, 1995, article by
Henry-Jean Servat - thank you Marie-France Bernier for providing the article and translation.
Robert Hossein: "I wanted a heroine who did not look like Michèle Mercier"
"I waited and hesitated for a long time before choosing the actress who would play the part of Angélique. I had to decide whether we would play the card of resemblance with Michèle Mercier, who has left such a warm and charming memory in the public’s mind, or if we would attempt to distance ourselves from it as much as possible. After thinking about it and carefully weighing the pros and cons, concerned with not offending anyone, and especially not Michèle, I finally opted for the second solution."
Up the sleeve of his embroidered doublet, Robert Hossein had, to the last, kept two candidates. Cécile Bois and Léa Vini. The latter, who lacks neither looks nor talent, looked like Michèle’s younger sister. In the end she was not chosen. We now know the former who has everything of a Nordic heroine with her blond hair, light complexion and blue eyes, and who looks nothing like Michèle Mercier.
The producers took seriously two thousands letters of application for the part. Robert Hossein’s assistants, François Chouquet, Catherine Gondrand and Guillaume Lagorce, met with 250 actresses. The director auditioned 150 of them. The ones who impressed him the most are Christiana Reali and Adeline Hallyday. "I wanted a credible actress who could play the marquise of the angels at age 17 as well as at 26. Cécile Bois, who had been recommended by Chafika, played very well those two dimensions of the character." And so the new Angélique will be the revelation of this sensational show, the first rehearsal of which Robert Hossein will direct on Tuesday, July 4. "Angélique, Marquise of the Angels" will cost 7 billion centimes - an absolute record. The production, which involves among others the Palais des Congrès, Gilbert Coullier and the Compagnie Robert Hossein, will comprise 47 scenes. Robert Hossein called on many young and frisky actors, able to alter their appearance in the wings with the speed of lightening. Fifty actors, clashing swords and dancing the minuet, will each change clothes six times. Some experienced actors have also been hired, in some instances, for a cameo appearance. "This will allow them to become reacquainted with the spirit of a theatrical company reminiscent of Molière and Vilar." 450 costumes, created by Sylvie Poulet (sometimes inspired by the sumptuous designs of Rosine Delamare for the movies), will thus dress 450 characters played by 100 actors. "I have hired actors with charisma. I wanted to find something beyond the physical appearance of any given part. At the Palais des Sports, to face an audience of 4000 every night, you need actors of an extraordinary dimension."
After two and a half months of rehearsals (one month more than his previous productions), Robert Hossein will propose a gilt-edged show, just like an illustrated book. "My only purpose is to entertain and move people." We all know this is not true. Once again the director, rumbling with a thousand fits of anger and eyes misting with a thousand tears, idolized throughout France for his generosity and enthusiasm, will speak of love and tender things, will fight for tolerance and against fanaticism (these themes ran through the books and the movies and were used again by Alain Decaux who wrote the theatrical adaptation). "I want to make "Angélique" a magical show punctuated with illusions, as well as a technological experience." Wet blankets will find in this a reason to get worked up, for Robert has decided to present the story using playbacks. "The slogan that says that I stage plays the way it’s done in movies will be topical in this year of the centennial, he points out smiling. Each scene will be recorded several times. Only the best soundtrack will be kept, as it’s done for movies. It is a terrific experiment that will allow all kinds of feats." Another exploit is Robert Hossein’s reprise of the role that immortalized
him on the big screen. He will be Joffrey, Comte de Peyrac, a sort of Cagliostro going through time without appearing affected by it. Laughing, he adds that "now it’s natural for me to be misshapen and lame like the hero of the book. I no longer need to attempt a characterization." Without publicity, the sale of tickets has already brought in one billion and a half centimes. Hossein dedicates the show to his partner in seven movies (four "Angélique’s" and three other full-length films), Michèle Mercier. Who is no longer the "one and only" but who remains the first Angélique. The one who will continue, in any case, to rule over our hearts.
"I'll play Angélique's Peyrac until I'm a hundred!" boasts Robert Hossein
THE SHOW 'ANGELIQUE MARQUISE DES ANGES' (Photo by Micheline Pelletier/Sygma via Getty Images) - Cécile Bois and Robert Hossein portraying Angélique and Joffrey in the theatrical version of 'Marquise of the Anges' 0 image sourced from Sygma via Getty Images
La veste de Robert Hossein dans le film « Angélique, Marquise des Anges ». - the original Joffrey's 'vest' which has an entire web-page devoted to it on voguesmatin.fr from the films and which the theatrical production has faithfully reproduced.
THE SHOW 'ANGELIQUE MARQUISE DES ANGES' (Photo by Micheline Pelletier/Sygma via Getty Images)
Troupe de la pièce "Angélique Marquise des Anges" - Robert Hossein entouré de sa troupe pour la pièce de théâtre "Angélique Marquise des Anges", à Paris, en France, le 28 septembre 1995. (Photo by Alain BENAINOUS/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images) - the entire cast of the 1995 theatrical spectacle of 'Angélique, Marquise des Anges.'
THE SHOW 'ANGELIQUE MARQUISE DES ANGES' (Photo by Micheline Pelletier/Sygma via Getty Images) - the cast taking their curtain call.
Page refreshed : 11th May 2021 (G)