Les Plasticiens Volants is a world-renown theater group that stages monumental performances using giant inflatable puppets, some over 20 meters long.
Ever since it was established, in 1976, the unique group has been entertaining audiences world-wide withe their amazing shows. From just two members, the group has grown to a company of 30 enthusiasts who create the puppets and masterfully operate them over the heads of the audience, telling a story. According to the members of the Les Plasticiens Volants, the advantage and at the same time the biggest challenge is building a marionette without a solid or fixed structure. They bend in the air and turn their heads in a way that makes them seem alive. But, as you can imagine, they are lot harder to control from the ground.
Developing a new show takes the group several years. For the latest one, entitled Big Bang and inspired by the creation of the universe, they prepared for three years. Each piece has to be designed on the computer, than transferred onto cloth, sown together from several pieces, painted in bright colors and inflated with helium to be tested. During the theatrical performances of Les Plasticiens Vloants, which are either based on popular stories (Don Quijote), or invented by the group, the adult audience is taken back to their carefree childhood days, while the children are fascinated by the fantastic creatures floating overhead. It’s truly a unique sight to behold, one that has made Les Plasticiens Volant famous all around the globe.
