James Spencer Henry Edmond Marcel Thierrée (born 2 May 1974) is a Swiss-French circus performer, violinist, actor and director who is best known for his theatre performances which blend contemporary circus, mime, dance, and music. He is the son of circus performers Victoria Chaplin and Jean-Baptiste Thierrée, the grandson of filmmaker Charlie Chaplin and the great-grandson of playwright Eugene O'Neill.
Biography Thierrée made his stage debut aged four in 1978, appearing alongside his older sister, Aurélia Thierrée, at his parents' small circus, Le Cirque Imaginaire. He toured with the circus and its follower, Le Cirque Invisible, throughout his childhood and teenage years, until 1994. Due to this, he was taught by tutors up to the age of twelve, when he was enrolled at the American School of Paris. Later he studied at the Piccolo Teatro in Milan, the CNSAD and the Acting International in Paris, and the Harvard Theater School in the United States. In 1991, aged fifteen, he made his film debut in the role of Ariel in Peter Greenaway's film Prospero's Books, and has since appeared in several films. He was nominated for the César Award for Most Promising Actor in 2006 for his role in Antoine de Caunes's film Twice upon a Time (2006).
In 1998 Thierrée founded his own theatre company, La Compagnie du Hanneton, and directed his first stage show, The Junebug Symphony (La Symphonie du Hanneton), in which he also performed. It toured several countries around the world and received favourable reviews from, for example, the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times. Thierrée won four Molière Awards for the show, including that of the best director and the best newcomer in 2006,Lauréats 2006, Les Molières . Retrieved 20 June 2012. and it was chosen in 2009 as one of the ten most important theatre pieces of the decade by Le Figaro. His next pieces, the Bright Abyss (2003, La Veillée des Abysses) and Au Revoir Parapluie (2007) were similarly acclaimed, and he was awarded a Molière for the latter. In 2008 he also received Le Prix Plaisir du Théâtre from the Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques. His fourth stage show, Raoul (2009) received more mixed reviews. Thierrée's fifth spectacle, titled Tabac Rouge, is to premiere in Lausanne in the summer of 2013.
Ancestry
Stage productions
Theatre roles Year Production Location Role Notes1995 Pre-Paradise, Sorry Now Espace Toulouse-Lautrec, Paris Unknown Adaption of play by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, directed by Julien Collet. La Splendida Vergogna Del Fet Mal Fet BarcelonaUnknown Written and directed by Carlos Santos. Toured. 1995–1997 Lapin Lapin Théâtre de la Porte Saint-Martin, Paris UnknownWritten by Coline Serreau, directed by Benno Besson. 1998 Le Soleil Est Rare Théâtre de la Criée, Marseille Unknown Written and directed by Michael Cohen. 2000 La Chauve-Souris Paris Opera Unknown Adaptation of Johann Strauss II's Die Fledermaus, directed by Coline Serreau.
La Compagnie du Hanneton
Year Production Premiere location Role Notes 1998–2005 The Junebug Symphony Orion Theatre, Stockholm Original French title: La Symphonie du Hanneton. Toured internationally. 2003–2010 Bright Abyss La Coursive, La Rochelle Original French title: La Veillée des Abysses. Toured internationally. 2007–2011 Au Revoir Parapluie Théâtre Vidy, Lausanne Toured internationally. 2009– Raoul Théâtre Royal, Namur First solo show. Still touring internationally. 2013– Tabac Rouge Théâtre Vidy, Lausanne He works on the stage with the company. Tours internationally.
Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1991 Prospero's Books Ariel 1993 Stefano Quantestorie Teenage Stefano The Girl in the Watermelon Matt Carrere Credited as James Spencer Thierrée 1995 Total Eclipse Frederic1996 The Green Beautiful Mesaje ReckoningPino Television film.1997 Genealogies of a Crime Young American actor On Guard Marcello 1999 Appassionate Joel Une Femme dans la Rue Unknown Short film2000 Vatel Duc de Longueville 2001 A Long Long Long Night of Love Gabriele2002Oui NonJeromea film by Jon Jost 2003 18 Years Later Arthur 3 WomenUnknown2004 Rien, voilà l'ordre Alexis2005 Bye Bye Blackbird JosefCarmen Mercier Television film. 2006 Twice Upon a Time Paul Gaylord 2007 Buchstaben/Letters Unknown The Vanishing Point Vincent 2009 Korkoro Félix Talouche 2010 Bartleby – Geschichte der Wall Street BartlebyTelevision film. 2011See How They Dance Victor/Clément2013 Love Battles He2016 Chocolat George FoottitCésar Award for Best Supporting ActorNominated—Lumière Award for Best Actor2020 L'Autre Paul
References
External links Official website of La Compagnie du Hanneton