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The beginning
"I'm frightened, I can't defend
myself any longer. Night and day, they're torturing me with
apocalyptic visions. They say they are some kind of grave diggers,
swindlers, musicians, opium and laudanum consumers, fervent
believers, occultism and ritual magic practicers. They are called
CircuZ KumP and they are headed by a bloodthirsty and irriverent
creature, a certain Madame Bistouri. A century ago, they have
staged an indecent show inspired by some Baudelaire's verses
and they have performed it just one time at the cabaret L'Enfer
in Montmartre. Then they have vanished, or maybe nobody wanted
to talk about them anymore. They diabolically enter my dreams
to force me to get in touch with some Italian artists. They
want we gather for some séances in order to bring back
to life what happened that cursed evening. I am on the verge
of a nervous breakdown, I can't resist anylonger, I have no
choice, tomorrow I'll contact these musicians, Ataraxia, I don't
know who they are but I absolutely must stop this torment."
Toulon, November 23rd 2005,
from the daily journal of the medium Joséphine Corelli,
better known as Mme Ratatouille
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Mme Ratatouille at the
Trudaine Brewery,
Toulon. |
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"Ataraxia are going mad, yesterday
they told me they were leaving for Toulon. A sudden decision.
They explained me that they had to meet a woman, a sensitive
who asked them to take part in some séances where a few
criminals, who were used to perform in the most ill-famed cabarets
of Montmartre, at the beginning of last century, will materialize.
They want Ataraxia in order to live again, a century later,
a well-known bloody evening at 'L'Enfer', an evening which was
passed over in silence since the very day after. Those ridicoulous
cabarets artists, those buffoons want Vittorio and the whole
band to take part, play and record that sort of musical séances.
They have expressly affirmed that they want to perform the first
concert of the alive and the dead. I can't calm down, I'm worried
about my friends, I hope I can reach them before it's too late."
Honfleur, November 25th 2005
reported by C.T., Ataraxia's collaborator and friend
"They have come back yesterday after
having spent forty five days at Mme Ratatouille's in Toulon.
For goodness' sake, I don't know what has happened during this
lapse of time, they don't want to speak of this with anybody.
They have come back with several minutes of recorded stuff but
I'll never say, even if menaced, which was the content of those
tracks. Anyway, even if I did I wouldn't be able to describe
the disgust I felt while listening to those evil litanies, revolting
death-rattles, insane howls and agonizing cries. Giovanni and
the whole band have saved the first half of those recordings,
when music was still played in a natural and tolerable way,
and they have destroyed all the rest. They keep saying no but
I know they have made a promise. I don't know if they were forced
or, overwhelmed by a morbid excitation, they agreed with enthousiasm
in bringing back to life "Paris Spleen" (or at least
a part of that show) and narrating the history of those damned,
impenitent adventurers known as CircuZ KumP. May Ataraxia find
their peace of mind again and those sneaky CircuZ KumP be damned!".
Ventoso, December 20th 2005
taken from a piece of writing of U.B., Ataraxia's friend and
photographer
Those bloody damned...
"My name is Safran, Safran UdU
and I'm born in Alexandria of Egypt. My dynasty follows the
Isis and Osiris cults since centuries. I've read a lot of books,
forbidden books that everybody believes to be lost. I've travelled
along the Orient old ways, as far as India where many persons
are sure I died blinded by dreadful visions. Now I live in Paris,
I devote myself to esoteric practices and, more concretely,
I earn my living creating and setting in motion a good deal
of optical stage trickeries in the Vault of the Dead of the
Cabaret of Nothingness. There, I met the Grim-Reaper who, more
than once, helped me with my optical experiments in front of
an astonished audience. One of those evening she asked me to
take part to her project, 'Paris Spleen', and, obviously, I
accepted. "
words of Safran UdU, skilled musician,
occultist and master of optical stage trickery
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The Vault
of the Dead
Cabaret of Nothingness - Montmartre |
Safran UdU
battling with his optical effects
Cabaret of Nothingness - Montmartre
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Some theatrical plays
the Grim-Reaper has taken part in |
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"My name is Gabor Szentendrei,
I'm born in Budapest and I'm the only son of the owner and puppeteer
of the well-known Szebedei Circus. I detested his lashes, he
was used to tell me that he had to tame me like a wild beast
to make me become, in my turn, a good tamer. One night, I smoked
opium, took laudanum, morphine and gulped down several glasses
of absinthe and I fell into oblivion. I found myself in Paris
to work in the Intoxication Room of the Cabaret of Nothingness.
I was good at mixing potions, I enjoyed observing and analyzing
all those poor wretched, addicted to any kind of substances.
One evening I met her, she had glassy eyes, she was befuddled
by haschisch, her name was Fosca Scarlatti. She seized me by
the arm without looking at me and she told me : 'I had to go
to the circus that day but someone found the owner torn into
pieces by a wild beast, there were pieces of bones and muscles
everywhere. His son had vanished. Do you think you are worthy
of taking part to my project?'. I followed her, speechless."
referred by Gabor Szebedei Szentendrei,
skilled mixer of hallucinogenic substances,
tiger tamer and visionary musician
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Gabor Szentendrei (to
the right)
serves the absinth in the Intoxication Room
of the Cabaret of Nothingness
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WELCOME, O WEARY WANDERER,
TO THE REALM OF DEATH!
ENTER!
CHOOSE YOUR COFFIN, AND BE SEATED BESIDE IT!
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Fosca Scarlatti racked
by alcohol |
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"My name is J. Amphora and I'm
born in Edimburgh. My father was a gambler and so my grandfather
and all the men's lineage of my family from several generations.
I had to leave my town after a regrettable game accident, so
I decided to get ahead with my career at the Tavern of Crooks
in Montmartre. I emptied many customers' pockets till the owner,
a certain Monsieur T., discovered me and kindly asked me to
work for him if I didn't want to spend the coming years in a
dark and damp cell of the prison in Bd. de Clichy. So, from
that very day on we started sharing my earnings but, at least,
I didn't have to worry about changing job. One night I met a
very elegant lady, Mme Cécile Dubois. As her name foretold,
she was a great lover of bel canto and we spent more than one
evening playing and singing delightful Italian opera airs. Then
she vanished for several months. When Cécile got back,
I promised her that if she had sung for me once more I would
have done everything for her. She took me at my word, she sang
and I followed her to keep my promise. When I discovered that
she was nothing but the notorious Madame Bistouri, it was too
late..."
tale of Jay Amphora, famous gambler,
swindler, good musician, adventurer and expert of prestige games
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Mr. T, the owner of the Tavern of Crooks
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Jay Amphora
(the sixth person from the left with the white shirt)
in front of the Tavern of Crooks
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The Tavern of Crooks
(inside)
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Cécile Dubois
(in the Cabaret of Crooks - daguerreotype)
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"I am born in Arles and my name
is Lunette, Lunette Namair to be exact. This nickname has been
stuck on me as soon as I reached Paris and, to earn my living,
I started working as a dishwasher at Père Lunette's.
In that ill-famed cabaret, each night a man was killed and never,
not even one time, we had the chance to see a bobby. One evening,
between love and death I chose love, the love of an innocent
maiden, a certain Bianca Pergolesi, daughter of the wine-merchant
who was used to supply the tavern. That night Monsieur Pergolesi
was sick and, in his place, he sent the girl. To safeguard her
virtue from a gang of good for nothing, I was forced to kill
and run away. Alas, I would have followed Bianca up to the hell
and so I did. Curse me! I sell my soul to a woman who was nothing
but Madame Bistouri..."
confession of Lunette Namair,
young poet, aspirant myopic illusionist and budding musician
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Lunette Namair (the man in white to the left)
in front of the Cabaret of Crooks
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Lunette (to the left)
in Arles
at the age of eight
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Bianca Pergolesi
near the rose garden of La Bagatelle
(photo taken by L. Namair)
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"I am called Sibelius and I am
born in Saint Petersburgh. After my studies I moved to Moscow
and I became the trusty counsellor of the Tzar. I have always
been an ardent son of the Orthodox Church and I protested in
vain when the Tzarina stroke up a dubious friendship with an
ambiguous individual called Rasputin. The Tzar didn't heed my
advices, he didn't want to believe me so, by night, I had to
quit my country, the Holy Mother Russia, like a bandit, leaving
all my memories and properties. When I got Paris I was forced
to steal in order to feed myself and I ended up in jail. Those
endless months of reclusion enlightened my soul and I decided
to purify me transforming one of those awful cabarets, that
were spreading in town as a purulent plague, in a place of prayer
and redemption. My cabaret would have looked like a cathedral
and its name would have been 'Le Ciel', the heavens. With our
nocturnal liturgies we would have fought the evil deeds that
were committed in the cabaret beside us, 'L'Enfer', the hell,
owned by a blameful ex-religious who, among other things, was
used to sell his wines at a very high price. Every evening,
a pious soul came to 'Le Ciel', her name sounded like the one
of Saint Patron of Lutetia, she was called Geneviève
de Saint Maur. Her virginal and limpid glance, her fervour and
devotion moved me deeply. One night she asked me to take part
to a moralizing action organized in favour of the sinful customers
of 'L'Enfer'. Naturally, I agreed with inflamed enthusiasm.
As soon as I entered that abominable place, I understood that
Geneviève was nothing but that vicious and nauseating
creature so talked about in town, the unnameable Madame Bistouri!
I pray God to forgive me, I, Sibelius the Saint, fallen in the
flames and abyss of the hell."
narrated by Sibelius P., erudite
mind, philosopher, mathematicien, clair-voyant, ardent believer
and inspired musician
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The Reverend (partner
of Sibelius P.)
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Sibelius P.
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Sibelius P. (to the left ) in the Cabaret of
Heaven
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"I am a dandy, a lover of carnal
pleasures, of vices and any kind of luxuries, and I'm proud
of it! Anyway, dignity bores me to death! I am born in Versailles
in a dull wealthy and aristocratic family. In a pair of lustres
I've squandered everything, my dowry, life annuity and all my
family's properties and fortune. I've sold my forniture and
sumptuous abode, as well. I also would have sold my soul if
someone had wanted it! I loved refined garnments, expensive
perfumes, nights and days spent with the most exquisite courtesans.
Now, I sell myself, my virtue,ahah!, if possible to mature women
with considerable liquid assets who are used to come to 'L'Enfer',
where I practise. But, alas, money is never enough and I'm forced
to dig graves and sell corpses of executed men, murderers and
poor wretched who committed suicide in the Seine to medical
students who need to do their training. One night, Madame Bistouri
(yes, she introduced herself with her true name) was waiting
for me at the cemetery of Rue Saint Vincent to ask me to work
for her (who knows, maybe she would have liked working at the
morgue to dissect the many moralists of Faubourg Saint Honoré).
Obviously, I promptly accepted and I also helped her staging
'Paris Spleen' and entrapping, one after the other, the unaware
future interpreters of that peculiar show. What an exciting
thing to put on the decadence and vices of the inhabitants of
this sick and charming town! The dark side of each of us, that
only a few have the courage to admit and reveal, performed on
a stage in front of all those hypocrites... Maybe we axaggerated,
we touched emotions hidden in the deepest ego, maybe we helped
to set those bodies and souls free, we pushed people towards
the sabbat of vice and excess, maybe we unconsciously evoked
whimsical and evil spirits but that night of January 1906, half
an hour after the beginning of the show, the malestrom started.
A series of strange, violent, ineluctable events followed one
to another. From the very day after everything was hushed up,
passed over in silence, a tick courtain of fog was drawn over
those puzzling happenings, no more trace of the show, no more
trace of us. All of this before today, before this new spiritistic
performance! Tremble, you all, CircuZ KumP are back! Ladies
and Gentlemen, Signori e Signore, Mesdames et Messieurs, bienvenus
à L'Enfer!"
declaration of Rêverie de Bal
D. Rak, impoverished nobleman, broke dandy, young mercenary
seducer and lady-killer, impenitent leacher, depraved cynic,
grave digger and talented musician
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Rêverie de Bal D. Rak at the age of six
in Versailles
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Rêverie (the
man with the top hat)
in front of the Cabaret of Hell
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Fronts of the Heaven
and Hell
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Cabaret of Hell (inside, with the public)
before the unique representation of Paris Spleen
The Montmartre cemetery where Bal D. Rak
met for the first time Madame Bistouri
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Madame Bistouri, alias Geneviève de Saint
Maur, Fosca Scarlatti, Cécile Dubois, Bianca Pergolesi
or the Grim-Reaper didn't want to make any declaration.
Follows...


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