It was an afternoon of misty rain, and something unusual was happening at Kalorama Park. A small, wooden stage was being set up, and behind it rest a black, rectangular box where fun props were being laid. Discretely under a tree, Aurélien Kairo and Abderzak Houmi were going over their routine, wearing their warm-up outfits. In a few moments, they would transform into “Angelo” and “Zak”, respectively.
"Angelo" et "Zak"
As more people began to gather in front of the stage, the rain seemed to matter less and less. The audience was ready for “La Belle Affaire,” a hip-hop performance brought to life by Kairo and Houmi as the De Fakto Company.
Hip-hop is a popular music genre in France, but Kairo and Houmi took it to another level. Mixing it with cartoon-like movements and gestures like those on silent films, the performers made the audience laugh in awe. Children and adults alike exchanged surprised glances every time Angelo and Zak brought new props into the scene.
Although they made it look easy on stage, it actually takes Kairo and Houmi a maximum of 3 months to put up a theater performance like “La Belle Affaire.” In addition, Kairo says that he exercises by playing with his energetic 7-year-old son.
Adding yet another layer to this eccentric performance were a plethora of fantastic sound effects. You could almost close your eyes and be taken back to the times of theatre burlesque and Charles Chaplin. “We carefully select then from movies, record our own voices with a microphone, or simply record some sounds that we can already find in life,” explained Kairo.
“We think that it is a really good idea to have a show in parks because everybody, no matter who, can see the show,” says a joyful Houmi after the performance. “We were able to share our culture with young people, kids, and adults alike and them with us. It is lovely that together we can see and feel the same.”
Nodding next to Houmi, an equally merry Kairo adds: ““La culture c’est quelque chose que se partage.”
