A production image from JPG Fashion Freak Show

Creative team

Jean Paul Gaultier

Creator, writer, director and costume designer

Jean Paul Gaultier was born in 1952 in a Paris suburb and has started his career with Pierre Cardin  in 1970, on the day of his 18th birthday.

After working at Esterel , Patou and again at Cardin, Gaultier decided to start his own fashion house and staged his first show in Paris in 1976. Critical and commercial success followed quickly and by the early eighties he was one of the most talked about young designers.

From the beginning of his career, Jean Paul Gaultier wanted to show that beauty has many facets and that we can find it where we least expect it like in a lowly tin can which first became a bracelet and later the packaging for his hugely successful perfume. His menswear was launched in 1984 with the “Male Object” collection and in 1997 Gaultier has realized his dream of starting an haute couture collection “Gaultier Paris”. He was also the designer for Hermes womenswear from 2004 to 2011.

Throughout his career Gaultier has worked in dance, music and the cinema. His costumes for Madonna’s Blond Ambition tour have left an indelible imprint on the popular culture. His first collaboration in the cinema was with Peter Greeneway for “The Cook, The Thief, His Wife And Her Lover” in 1989. He also designed costumes for “The City Of Lost Children” by Caro and Jeunet, “Fifth Element” by Luc Besson and has worked three times with Pedro Almodovar on “Kika”, “Bad Education” and “The Skin I Live In”.

Tonie Marshall

Co Director

Toni Marshall was best known as an actress before she  became a film director. She directed “Pentimento” in 1990, starring Antoine de Caunes in his first feature film.

In 1993, she created her own independant production company Tabo Tabo Films, experiencing  greater freedom to produce her own films as well as young writers and directors.

In 1999, “Venus Beauté (Institut)” was released and was a great success : more than 1.3 million tickets sold in France and international distribution in over  20 countries. It won 4 Césars including Best Director, a premiere for a woman director in the history of the Césars. The film was equally as successful when it became a television series in 2004 in co-production with Arte and the very first television series adapted from a feature film. The two seasons of the show are sold in more than thirty countries (Portugal, Romania, Croatia, Germany, Japan …).

Tonie Marshall directed several films including “Au plus près du paradis”, a sentimental comedy starring Catherine Deneuve and William Hurt and “Passe-Passe” starring her favourite actress Nathalie Baye. In 2013, she directed “Tu veux ou tu veux pas”, a comedy featuring Sophie Marceau and Patrick Bruel, a major box office success in France and around the globe.

Her final film “Number One” was released last October and tells the story of Emmanuelle Blachey, a brilliant and driven Engineer.

Marion Motin

Choreographer

Marion Motin is a dancer and choreographer from Basse-Normandie. She trained in hip hop dance and has performed with Madonna, Sylvain Groud and Angelin Prejlocaj. Marion founded Les Swaggers, an all-female dance group whose 7 members toured for 10 years as far afield as Asia.

She is Stromae's choreographer and also choreographs his music videos. Marion has collaborated with Christine and the Queens, Angèle, Dua Lipa, Catherine Ringer, Jean-Paul Goude and other big names in fashion and music. In 2015, she created the musical Résiste with France Gall. In 2018, alongside Jean-Paul Gaultier, she created Fashion Freak Show.

In 2021, she choreographed  on-screen work with Virginie Effira and Romain Duris, who Marion coached for Régis Roinsard's film En Attendant Bojangles. She recently created the choreography for Coralie Fargeat's film The Substance, starring Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley. After collaborating with Ballet Rambert in London and the Munich Opera, she created The Last Call in September 2023 for the Opéra Garnier. Since December 2024, her latest work, Narcisse, has been on tour in France.

Simon Phillips

Artistic Advisor

Simon began his career in New Zealand before emigrating to Australia in the 80s. He was Artistic Director of The Melbourne Theatre Company from 2000-2011. His directing credits range from new works to contemporary and Shakespearean classics to musicals to opera. He has directed works by most of the great contemporary writers, as well as the premieres of many works by leading Australian writers, including David Williamson and Joanna Murray-Smith. Simon’s musical credits include Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (which has been performed internationally for the past 16 years including the West End and Broadway), the new Australasian version of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies (which was filmed by Universal, and has had seasons in Tokyo, Hamburg, and the USA), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Urinetown the Musical, Cabaret, Company and two adaptations developed with Split Enz’ Tim Finn and his wife, Carolyn Burns: Ladies in Black, which won the Helpmann for Best New Australian Work and Come Rain or Come Shine based on the short story by Kazuo Ishiguro. Most recently, his production of Muriel’s Wedding toured Australia and his new production of Phantom of the Opera was performed on the Sydney Harbour stage. Simon’s opera credits include: The Turk in Italy, L’Elisir d’Amore, Falstaff, La Bohèmeand Lulu for Opera Australia, The Magic Flute and Don Giovanni for Opera New Zealand and A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Billy Budd for Hamburg State Opera. He has received seven Green Room Awards and six Helpmann Awards.

Raphaël Cioffi

Co-Writer

“A good spanking for pop culture!” was the slogan of the first webzine created by Raphaël Cioffi, “Spank Magazine”, which perfectly lays down the bases of its writing: it’s pop, and it’s refreshing. With a few friends, they refresh the codes of the genre to create a quirky and innovative media, a real talent pool, including their flagship illustrator: Charlotte Le Bon. Quickly noticed for their creativity, Charlotte and Raphaël joined the “Grand Journal” de Canal+ team. For a year, they created over 200 sketches for the weather, as absurd as they were delightful, amusing some of the biggest stars on the planet: Beyoncé, Rihanna, Julia Roberts, Robert de Niro … and a certain Jean-Paul Gaultier. Utterly charmed, he offered Charlotte the chance to host his next fashion show, bringing a touch of humour. This was the first time that Raphaël wrote for the designer and the understanding and complicity between the two was instant.

Meanwhile, he set his writing more to the service of the fashion industry, doing cover interviews for “L’Officiel” and collaborating with several French fashion houses (Lancel, Lolita Lempicka, Ami…). He also broadened his artistic field by managing the singer “Yanis”, whom he accompanied on his journey of development in a visually ambitious musical universe.

Yet, the author couldn’t keep away from comedy for long, as he returned to the team of his two favourite French secretaries: “Catherine and Liliane”, portrayed with true panache by Alex Lutz and Bruno Sanches. For 4 seasons, through these characters, Raphaël shares a perspective on the world which is irrefutable, poetic and funny all at once. Once more seduced by this resolutely camp humour, Jean-Paul Gaultier accepts the offer to join the two secretaries for a delectable sketch.

A few months later, Jean-Paul Gaultier presented Raphaël with a new project: to write the programmes for his fashion shows, with the irreverent and modern tone that sums both men up perfectly. The collaboration confirmed their common desire to make people laugh and to shake things up, giving Jean-Paul Gaultier the idea to combine their talents and to have him write his most delirious project yet, his display at the Folies Bergère: the Fashion Freak Show.

Fanny Coindet

Associate Director

Fanny Coindet is a French choreographer, director, and contemporary dance teacher. She began her career as a performer in Paris and abroad, before joining the Franco Dragone Company in 2012, playing a leading role in The House of Dancing Water in Macau. In 2019, she joined Jean Paul Gaultier’s Fashion Freak Show as Associate Director, working with guest stars such as Dita Von Teese and Catherine Ringer. She has collaborated with the National Circus School in France, directing the show 3025, and has led workshops for a wide range of audiences. In 2021, she earned her State Diploma in contemporary dance teaching in Paris. In 2023, she founded Compagnie Balter to explore her own artistic language, blending dance and visual art through choreography, video clips, and artistic direction for short films.

Per Hörding

Lighting Design

Per Hörding is based in Stockholm, Sweden. He works both locally and abroad with theatre, musicals, dance, concerts, tours, television and events. Winner of Broadway world South Africa Award and nominated for Fleur du Cap Theatre Award for best lighting design.

Selected design credits:
Priscilla The Party London 2024, 2:22 A Ghost Story Stockholm 2023, Waitress Norrkoping 2023, The Full Monty Stockholm 2023, The Wizard Of Oz Stockholm 2023, Chicago Stockholm 2022, Noice Rock Musical Stockholm 2021, Forever Piaf Stockholm 2021, She Loves Me Jonkoping 2021, Fashion Freak Show London and Russia 2019-2020, Priscilla Queen Of The Desert Stockholm, South Africa and onboard the Norwegian Epic 2013-2017, Murder Ballad Stockholm 2016, Hedwig And The Angry Inch Stockholm 2016, Drowsy Chaperone Stockholm 2015.

www.perhording.com

Keegan Curran

Sound Designer

Keegan Curran has worked in theatre and live events for many years. Since graduating from The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School as a Composer & Sound Designer in 2014, Keegan has undertaken multiple Sound Designs, regionally, in The West End and Internationally as well as Production Management and Production Sound Work across film, television and theatre.
Previous sound designs:
Theatre includes: Olivier Award Winning Baby Reindeer (Bush Theatre), Our Country’s Good (Tobacco Factory Theatres), Oliver Award Winning Rotterdam (Theatre503/Trafalgar Studios), My World Has Exploded A Little Bit (Tristan Bates Theatre/Edinburgh Fringe), Infinity Pool (Plymouth Fringe/Edinburgh Fringe), The Blues Brothers: Xmas Special (West End), Last Thursday (Prime Theatre), Trip The Light Fantastic (Theatre West/Bristol Old Vic), Living Quarters (Tobacco Factory/SATTF), 140 Million Miles' (Tobacco Factory/The Traverse), Where We Are (Theatre Royal Bath), Blue Stockings and The Winter’s Tale (Tobacco Factory), The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (The Redgrave).

Justin Nardella

Set Design and Video Co-Design

A design graduate of NIDA, Sydney. Justin has designed for stage, screen and events. Theatre: Arcadia (MiF), Songs For Nobodies (West End),The Sugar House (Finborough Theatre), Le Grand Mort (Trafalgar Studios), Proud (Kings Head), Youth Without God (Coronet Theatre),The Tap Pack (Peacock Theatre), Depths of Dead Love (Coronet Theatre),Tender Napalm (Brisbane Festival), Before and After (STC). Musicals: Mimma Musical (Cadogan Hall),The Life (Southwark Playhouse),The Hunting of the Snark (Tour). Opera: La Traviata (Theatre Des Champs-Elysées), Engine Onegin (Buxton Festival), Acis and Galatea (ENO Studio Live), Orfeo (Brandenburg Orchestra), Hansel and Gretel (Opera in Space) Video/ projection: Peter Grimes (Royal Opera House),The Sugar House (Finborough Theatre), Gianni Schicci & La Bohéme (iSing Festivals Asia). Screen: Andy X (Dir. Jim Sharman), Spoilers (Dir. Brendon McDonall) Could Be Bad MPV (Dir. Tom Noakes). Associate: Priscilla Queen Of The Desert The Musical, War Requiem (ENO), Tristan and Isolde (ENO), King Lear (The Old Vic), and The Testament Of Marie (Comedie Français). Awards/ Bursaries: OFFIE (Costume Design), STAGE ONE Bursary, ACE Grant (video design), & BMW Young Artist Award.

Renaud Rubiano

Video Co-Design

A filmmaker and producer, and co-founder of Mirio studio, Renaud Rubiano has worked with Éric Soyer and Joël Pommer at several times, notably on Cinderella. Through the videos for the Fashion Freak Show, the visual arts expert wanted to plunge the audience into the singular world of Jean Paul Gaultier: “I created images to color what is happening on stage, and also to act as an invitation to reverie, which is fundamental. I try not to overwork perception, everybody should be able to project themselves onto the performance in a different way,” underlines the designer, who switches it up between screens, LED walls and different projection methods. He was proudest of the operating table tableau during rehearsals. Why? “Because it represents the very beginning, it was the first time that Jean Paul had undertaken the act of creation and it was a moment that would determine the rest of his journey. To be honest, it’s my favorite scene, I’m delighted with it.

Daniel Davidson

Associate Choreographer and Director

Edinburgh born Daniel joined Scottish Ballet in 2005 and performed works by renowned choreographers including Richard Alston, George Balanchine, Matthew Bourne, Trisha Brown, Jorma Elo, William Forsythe, Kenneth MacMillan, Hans van Manen, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Ashley Page, Stephen Petronio & Twyla Tharp. From 2014-2022, Daniel danced with Rambert and performed in works by Christopher Bruce, Kim Brandstrup, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Merce Cunningham, Ben Duke, Sharon Eyal, Andonis Foniadakis, Hofesh Shechter, Wayne McGregor, Imre & Marne van Opstal, Jo Strømgren, Marion Motin & Wim Vandekeybus amongst others.

Daniel now works as a freelance artist and choreographer. His choreographic work includes pieces for Rambert School, Elmhurst Ballet Company, The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Ballet Central, The Juilliard School, National Youth Ballet, The National Theatre’s River Stage, Rambert’s Blueprints Evening & Ballet Nights London. In 2023 he joined Jean Paul Gaultier’s Fashion Freak Show as Assistant Choreographer and in 2024, completed an MA in Choreography through Central School of Ballet and University of Kent.