The Compagnie des Quidams is a professional street performance company that celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2019.
In 2008, with the complicity of the Municipality of Etrez, the Compagnie des Quidams settled in the old village hall, a building of nearly 200m2, where it installed an office, a rehearsal space and a storage space for costumes and scenery.
From there are born new shows and proposals of sensitization to the street arts in direction of the local public.
In 2012, in agreement with the Municipality of Etrez, the Compagnie des Quidams bought the place and decided to renovate it in order to create the Grand R, a place of creation and artistic residence in a rural environment.
The Compagnie des Quidams thus builds its territory action within the Grand R in a double perspective:
- Supporting artistic creation by providing performing arts companies with a working space and an integrated accommodation area
- To sensitize the public of the territory to the Street Arts and more broadly to the performing arts, by creating various opportunities for encounters, in particular through the Sorties de Chantier, public rehearsals of the artistic teams hosted at the Grand R.
The Compagnie des Quidams renovated part of the attic in 2017 to convert it into 3 rooms that can accommodate up to 7 people during their residency at the Grand R.
This venue offers companies a complete residency, with on-site work space, catering and accommodation.
Over the years, we have developed a residency program for professional companies from outside the company, and most of them have organized public meetings during the "Sorties de chantier" (site outings) offered in different towns: Etrez, Montrevel-en-Bresse, Confrançon, Foissiat, Malafretaz...
These companies are a reflection of the diversity of contemporary artistic creation: theater, visual street performance, engaged, musical, circus, clown ...
Each of these "public rehearsals" brings together between 60 and 150 people from neighboring towns and Bourg-en-Bresse. It is a convivial moment appreciated by both the public and the artistic teams who have the opportunity to meet the public and discuss their work after the rehearsal.
Public rehearsal Les Charentaises de Luxe in Etrez
