From May 4th to 16th, 2025, the Alliance Française de Banjul is proud to host the Compagnie Troll for an artistic residency. Founded by Richard Petitsigne, an actor, storyteller, and artistic director, this company has been developing a unique approach to storytelling and oral traditions since 2005. Joined by Fabian Grégoire, an author and illustrator of children’s books, the duo offers performances where storytelling is combined with live illustration.
The Compagnie Troll specializes in creating immersive performances that combine storytelling, illustration, and stage performance. Among their productions, the Illustrated Tales feature stories told and illustrated live, while the Long-Haired Tales revisit traditional and contemporary narratives. Additionally, the Reading-Painting performance creates a dialogue between reading excerpts from novels and live painting creation.
In addition to the performances, the residency will include artistic creation workshops. These workshops will offer participants an opportunity to explore illustration and painting, as well as to engage in the artistic creation process. The residency will feature nine performances, presented at various partner venues, along with six open workshops, providing an immersive and participatory experience for all attendees.
This residency offers a unique opportunity to experience the richness of live storytelling and illustration, while participating in an interactive and immersive artistic journey. The Compagnie Troll invites the public to dive into a world where storytelling blends seamlessly with visual art, creating an unforgettable experience.
For more details about Compagnie Troll and their projects, visit their website: www.trolletpetitsigne.com.
For ten days, Richard Petitsigne and Fabian Grégoire took hundreds of students on a journey with their original concept: a storyteller and an illustrator performing together live. Richard told the stories while Fabian painted them in watercolor, scene by scene.
It all began at the Alliance Française de Banjul, with a first illustrated performance for a young audience, a magical encounter between words and brushstrokes.
Nine more performances followed in different schools, where children discovered three illustrated tales:
🦁 Lisimba’s Journey
🦊 The Hyena’s Tale
🌙 Moussa Who Couldn’t Sleep
Workshops were also offered to introduce children to the art of storytelling and illustration. They got to try, invent, draw, and most importantly, express themselves freely.
📍 On May 14th, the Alliance travelled beyond Banjul to meet the students of John Pickering School and Brikama Upper and Senior School. A wonderful day with engaged and curious kids.
A huge thank you to the artists, our partner schools, and all the children for their incredible energy!