La Manékine is inspired by one of the Brothers Grimm’s most terrifying tales, The Girl Without Hands, in a gothic and burlesque staging, with excellent manipulation that mixes various techniques, and live music performed by a man-orchestra.
A spooky forest, the devil, a poor miller and his daughter, a sinister business deal and a pair of severed hands are the ingredients of this dark fairy tale centred on resilience and self-confidence. But what begins in deceit and sadness ends in love and happily ever after, just like in fairy tales, for a brave young girl and her handsome prince.
A thrilling story in which light meets darkness and joy meets despair. The themes of female emancipation and triumph over adversity resonate strongly in this macabre tale, making it timeless at the same time. This drama, where the conquest of the freedom to act and love is at stake, assumes a great and beautiful paradox for the puppeteer: to become the hands of the ‘handless’, by manipulating the Manékine.
La Pendue returns to FIMFA after having amazed everyone with Tria Fata, presented at the São Luiz Theatre in 2017. La Manékine, their latest creation, is a poetic and terribly topical show, marked by the magic and universe that characterise the company.

“As if in a dream, the elements of the production combine in a way that, despite being totally unique, connects us to the intangible realities of existence.” – Clare Brennan, The Guardian ★★★★

“At the centre of it all is the extraordinary Estelle Charlier, who moves between the roles of master puppeteer and storyteller with grace and precision (…). Every gesture seems deliberate, every movement is imbued with emotion, as if the puppets themselves were breathing (…). La Manékine‘s visual elements are absolutely stunning (…). It’s rare to see a show that blends so many art forms with such cohesion and purpose. La Manékine is a show where puppets, music and storytelling intertwine to create something truly magical.”
– Sofia Danailov Esteban, Plays to See ★★★★

“La Manékine by La Pendue is an exemplary homage to the French traditions of physical theatre and guignol-style puppetry (…). It’s a masterclass in storytelling and acting, skilfully reimagining the Brothers Grimm tale The Girl Without Hands with innovation and heart.
At the centre of the production is Charlier’s remarkable talent. His precision, physicality and skill bring to life a series of characters and puppets, creating a dynamic and mesmerising interaction (…).
Puppets, music and special effects in a way that enchants and surprises (…), creating moments of pure theatrical wonder (…).
This is a play that stays in your mind long after the final curtain, touching both your heart and your imagination. For those who appreciate innovative theatre rooted in tradition, La Manékine is an unforgettable experience (…).” – Jess Gonzalez, Everything-Theatre

BIO
La Pendue, a company of theatre, puppets and delicate metamorphoses, was created in Grenoble in 2003 by Estelle Charlier and Romuald Collinet, former students at the École Supérieure Nationale des Arts de la Marionnette in Charleville-Mézières. The company is managed by the Théâtre de l’Homme Ridicule association, and has built its workshop and rehearsal room in the mountains of Grenoble, where it directs its work in two divergent but complementary directions: a traditional axis, centred on glove puppets, in which the puppeteers reappropriate the character Polichinelo (Pulcinella), such as the explosive show Poli Dégaine, presented at FIMFA Lx8, and which continues to be performed all over the world, being considered a milestone and a true revolution, in the field of glove puppet shows; and a contemporary axis, in which they use a wide variety of techniques (string puppets, rod puppets, shadow puppets and others yet to be inventoried), for example for Tria Fata, presented at FIMFA Lx17, with great success, and for La Manékine, a burlesque and psychedelic reinterpretation of a medieval tale. The company continues to tour internationally and has collaborated with prestigious partners such as puppeteer Ilka Schönbein, for whom Romuald Collinet was artistic advisor on La vieille et la bête; and director Leos Carax, with whom Estelle Charlier and Romuald Collinet created the character Annette: the face, the growth and the magic of this puppet for the film of the same name. This incredible artistic adventure, which won Best Direction at the Cannes Film Festival and five César awards, including Best Visual Effects (with Estelle and Romuald), was a huge inspiration and renewed the means and perspectives of the puppeteers of La Pendue.