“Right in the Eye" at the Orpheum Theatre -- February 1.
Sunday, February 1, 5 p.m.
Orpheum Theatre, 57 South Kellogg Street, Galesburg IL
A delightful multimedia show composed of 12 short films by Georges Méliès, a pioneer of the cinema and wizard of special effects, the popular touring production Right in the Eye lands at Galesburg's Orpheum Theatre on February 1, the event's three virtuoso musicians playing some 50 different instruments – including rare and unique ones – and breathing fresh impetus into these cinematographic gems.
In the show's subtly-staged setting, and in perfect symbiosis with the imagery, the Right in the Eye musicians transport audiences into an inventive production, performed both onstage and onscreen, that reflects the creative genius of Méliès. This touring production is the brainchild of pianist, composer, improviser, and scenographer Jean-François Alcoléa, whose shows reflect his multiple universes by combining music and sound compositions, lighting, still images, and moving pictures alongside street arts, dance, texts, and plastic arts installations.
As stated at Alcolea-cie.net: "He likes to combine the various artistic disciplines in his creations, merging each piece of the puzzle into a single entity. He also revisits the position and part played by audiences in such immersive performances: from an audio standpoint, and for over 15 years now, because audiences are often seated at the heart of a multi-channel surround sound system, as in Les Inattendues (The Unexpected), for instance.
"From a visual standpoint, also, and in multiple ways, particularly because of the mix of stills with moving pictures, for instance. This is also true of the projection methods and media, whether on screens, on architectural facades, in and around nature/wildlife features, on fencing or, depending on the show, on media that have inspired his creating images in varied protean forms and dimensions, reminiscent of his explorations of multi-channel surround sound.
"We also find this sensory abundance in his music, which is a subtle balance between learned and popular music. It is thus thanks to this alchemy that his shows resonate with a very broad audience."
Marie-Georges-Jean Méliès was a French filmmaker, actor, magician, and toymaker. He led many technical and narrative developments in the early days of cinema, primarily in the fantasy and science fiction genres. Méliès rose to prominence creating "trick films" and became well known for his innovative use of special effects, popularizing such techniques as substitution splices, multiple exposures, time-lapse photography, dissolves, and hand-painted color. He was also one of the first filmmakers to use storyboards in his work, his most notable cinematic works including 1904's The Impossible Voyage and 1902's A Trip to the Moon, an iconic scene from which gives Right in the Eye its title.
Right in the Eye comes to the Orpheum Theatre on February 1, admission to the 5 p.m. movie/concert event is $31-36.20, and more information and tickets are available by calling (309)342-2299 and visiting GalesburgOrpheum.org.
