Jacques Brel: The Impossible Dream has played in Paris at the Theaters Ranelagh, Daunou, Marsoulan, Espace La Comédia and Tambour Royal. The show has toured extensively in France, Russia, Japan, Morocco, Belgium and The United States.
What the press is saying about Jacque Brel: The Impossible Dream.
“An enchantment.” Pariscope
“A show as touching as it is intelligent.” Le Figaro
“The players intensively inhabit Brel’s passions, quests and rages.” Telerama Exit
“Run to see this show…it’s magnificent.” France Info
“We left the theater with tears in our eyes and our hearts in the stars. Masterful!” ruedutheatre.com
“A magnificent spectacle. A marvel.” Aligre FM (Paris)
Jacques Brel inspired an impassioned fan base in France and later around the world. He was the most popular and influential singer-songwriter in mid-century France, drawing massive crowds to his concerts. He often put down his guitar and sang unaccompanied, and sometimes acted his songs in spoken word. The theatrical nature of his concert performances inspired actor and singer André Nerman to put together this dazzling piece of cabaret theater.
Thank you to The Jane M. & Bruce P. Robert Charitable Foundation for graciously sponsoring this show.
André Nerman
André Nerman has acted in many of the classics of French theatre. He has created and staged, in addition to Jacque Brel’s Impossible Dream, many other shows including “Un Rapport sur la Banalite? de l’Amour,” which found big success in Paris, as well as in many festivals around France and in Casablanca. In music, André has worked notably with Annie Cordy, Serge Gainsbourg, Gilbert Lafaille, Manon Landowski and Fugu Mango. As a singer-songwriter, André regularly performs around Paris. He won the "La Jeune Chanson Française" prize in 1992, and the Piaf trophy in 2002. In 2020, he was awarded a "Gold Medal for Cultural Achievement" by the Renaissance Française. Recently André moved into directing with his first feature film "Bienvenue en Icelande."
Lucile
Originally from Rouen and raised in Chicago, Lucile grew up in a family of four children, all artists. She first proved herself in dance and theater, before being caught up in music. Today, she is exploring jazz and funk, and studying at the Centre des Musiques Didier Lockwood outside Paris. She is also creating her first pop-folk-soul EP. She performs regularly with André Nerman’s troupe.
Laurent Clergeau
Trained classically in piano at the École Normale de Musique de Paris, Laurent took his first steps into the music hall by accompanying Richard Foisy, a well-known singer in Québec. While teaching piano at conservatory, he created two ongoing French song workshops, one at the Etréchy Conservatory, and the other at the Cultural Center of Mureaux . Laurent is the pianist for two theater troupes: Les Tréteaux Bleus and the Compagnie de l'Yerres. For several years, Laurent has been a part of many André Nerman’s shows for the Caravague Company. In addition to "Jacques Brel: The Impossible Dream,” "The Traveling Poet," and "Remembering Prévert", he created the soundtrack for the plays "A Report on the Banality of Love" and "Darius." He also accompanies André in shows of Andre’s original songs. Between shows, he likes to make old Citroëns sing.