The Figures

The Pastoral Alègre

The pastoral is a show which gives itself outside churches. Very fashionable genre already in the 18th century, numerous French and Provençal texts and singings appeared. It is the story of shepherds who, keeping their herds in the countryside, are warned by the angel of the birth of Jesus and are going to wake all the village. Under the musical leadership of the tambourin player, the merry troop starts, each one taking some thing in offering. Numerous professions are represented (shepherds, miller, baker, grinder, fisherman) but also notables as mayor and specific characters to the pastoral as Pistachié or Margarido.

On December 26th, 1844 was created in Marseille "The pastoral or the mystery of Our Lord J.Christ", by André Maurel. The play is inspired by notebooks of the talking cribs and the playlets of Christmas, telling in a funny way the nativity. The success is uge as others pastoral are created. Let us quote in the passage that of Yvan Audouard, who stages, for the disk " Pastoral of the figures of Provence ", the story of figures and adapts the airs of Christmas.

The Bouffaréou Angel

He has puffed out cheeks so much he blew in his trumpet to announce the good news.

The sheperd

by Robert Canut
Young or old, whom he plays the flute or whom he sleeps rolled up in his coat of brown wool, the shepherd represents the oldest profession of the world. He brings a small lamb in offering.

The tambourin player

by Cursat
He plays the galoubet and the tambourin to celebrate the event. " Play oboses, resound musettes ".

Margarido

by Robert Canut
Character of the Pastorale Maurel, she goes on her donkey, comfortably dressed with an underskirt of sheet, in a big woolen shawl; she carries a oil pump and a basket in which, under a white cloth, she put down her auricles, which she hides by miserliness...

Grasset and Grassetto

Stemming from the Pastorale Chave, they are the Old people. They put their beautiful clothes of Sunday and arrive arm in arm, with their big smile and their naïve appearence. He carries the lantern, she carries a basket filled with good things.

Lou Ravi

by Robert Dumas
He has this gesture of delight which we have in Provence when we are delighted or amazed. His presence became indispensable in the Christmas crib, with his simple clothes with bright colors, blue or red; he is the freshness and the simplicity.

The grinder

by Fouque
He doesn't brings anything but, being curious, he comes to see. Tilted on his grindstone he always has some work.

The miller

He brings a big bag of flour on his shoulder; we also see him in the door of the mill or along the way with his donkey.

The rural policeman

by Chave
We like him with his cocked hat, his leather gaiters and his drum. We suspect what he is going to announce!

The woman with bundle of sticks

by Carbonel
In her raised apron round the wist or on the shoulder, she brings wood to warm the newborn child.

The fishmonger

by Patrick Volpès
Dressed in her dress in dive, she has in her basket fishes, symbols of the Christ.

Illustrations extracted from the book "Memory of the figures of Provence"
edition EQUINOXE