"Life! Hope! Escape! Whoops! Obstinacy!"

August 5, 2009 2:22 PM

Charlie Chaplin [previously, except the primary link from blogspot is down] has a grandson, James Thiérrée. Growing up in his parents circus Le Cirque Imaginaire (later, Invisible), the acrobat evolved into performer/director/choreographer of soon to be four full-length works. (Full disclosure: the first three are all from La Veillée des Abysses--Bright Abyss--and the latter is a preview for his upcoming solo act Raoul.) He's also made forays in movies you've probably seen. More? Check out this Au revoir Parapluie (Farewell Umbrella) medley, and how about some trapeze?

"It's a story about a story about a story (about a story about a story about a story) that cannot be told."

See also, the whole generation: (Warning: if you don't read French just enjoy the images).
Hint: Aurelia Thiérrée = sister, Victoria Chaplin-Thiérrée = cousin, I think, and Victoria Chaplin = mom, daughter of Chaplin, and granddaughter of playwright Eugene O'Niell.
Another famous relative, demand you?? How about Margery Williams Bianco, author of The Velveteen Rabbit?

James on the Rabbit:
"It's about a soft toy that gets more real as it's worn down. The more it gets crumpled and torn, the more real it is. At the end it gets burned but it is happy because it is becoming real. I like the sense that as life wears us down we become more real. Maybe I'm a broken-down old rabbit."

posted by JaiMahodara (6 comments total)

Wow. Creative guy to say the least. The "grandson" video feels to me what Charlie's early stage show might have been like.
posted by starman at 3:19 PM on August 5

What a good first post, JaiMahodara - I am mid-way into the links but wanted to stop to say thank you!
posted by madamjujujive at 4:37 PM on August 5

Is this guy more talented than the average actor/waiter...or does he just have a famous grampa and some famous relatives?
posted by hal_c_on at 5:54 PM on August 5

I dunno, I always thought Geraldine Chaplin was a terrific actress in her own right, she's my favorite part of Robert Altman's Nashville (and in a movie so loaded with excellent performances, that's saying something). AND she's apparently in the new Wolf Man movie coming out this fall.
posted by hermitosis at 8:00 PM on August 5

Wow. Those are stunning. What an excellent post.
posted by nímwunnan at 2:31 AM on August 6

I don't know hal, I've heard it takes 3 generations to make a genius (ok, from Chinese puppet masters..) and he did have a pretty good start 2 generations back. I find the loose storylines and use of the everyday v sublime extremely evocative. And I've never been served by him, but that would be just FINE too.. (Hm, maybe he's too busy touring London.)
posted by JaiMahodara at 8:20 PM on August 6