Portrait of Etienne Saglio: major figure of the new magic

Etienne Saglio, a master of new magic, combines the exploration of new objects and magical processes with a romantic, mysterious imagination. His new show invites us to listen to wolves to think about our relationship to nature, childhood and imagination. You can see The Sound of Wolves at the Théâtre le Grand T in Nantes from 24 to 28 September 2019 or the Théâtre du Rond-Point in Paris from 10 to 24 May 2020.

In The Sound of Wolves, Saglio summons the forest’s fauna and flora to invite us on an enchanted journey. This time, the magician ventures to the outer reaches of our inner worlds: between childhood and adulthood, home life and wildlife, he questions our relationship to nature, our imagination and our illusions. 

“I want to restore the forest of our imagination” - Etienne Saglio

The magician draws from Alice in Wonderland and the Grimm Brothers’ classic fairy tales to shake up the bearings of our everyday lives with a magical realism where nature reclaims its rights. Combining extraordinary performers with puppets—a mouse, a fox, a child and a giant—Saglio plays with unsettling changes in sets, turning the stage into a forest of a thousand and one enchantments during the show. 

Supported by the BNP Paribas Foundation since 2016, Saglio is on the cutting edge of new magic, which he enhances in two ways: artistically, by writing a veritable play, and technically, with technological innovations. 

This ambitious creator uses the Foundation’s funding for research and experimentation to create his shows. Research time is precious for all artists, especially in new magic, which is in the middle of an exploration stage.