FISH BOWL

A production by Pierre Guillois

Co-written by Agathe L’Huillier and Olivier Martin-Salvan

Once upon a time today, in three small attic apartments in Paris, a big man, a tall thin man and a curvaceous blonde are neighbours. This would be a romantic story if it wasn’t for the fact that these three odd-balls have a special talent for messing things up. Messing everything up. With one disaster leading to another amidst a deluge of jokes, this quirky trio cling to anything that looks like love, life or hope.

💛 Date: 28^th January 2026 – 31st April 2026 

💛 Location: Peacock Theatre, Portugal St, London WC2A 2HT

💛 Tickets: £18

https://www.sadlerswells.com/whats-on/le-fils-du-grand-resaeu-fishbowl/

Interviewer: Nicole Kent

INTERVIEW 

Pierre Guillois - theatre director of Fishbowl

Fishbowl is described as a physical comedy extravaganza - what was the original spark for the show?

Olivier and I had created a few short, wordless scenes inside a play I’d written, and we realised this way of working opened up a completely different kind of theatre. It felt fresh and exciting. So we made a radical decision: to create a play without dialogue at all.

Why was the idea of “paper-thin walls” and cramped urban living central to the storytelling?

I lived for ten years in a maid’s room in Paris - basically a tiny space with almost no comfort. But wonderful things happened there. Life was cramped, but my dreams were big. We don’t often talk about small spaces, probably because we assume they’re impossible to translate on stage. Theatre sets are usually much larger than real life.

We decided to treat that limitation as a strength. It became a creative constraint that pushed us to design a very specific set with Laura Léonard, one that could truly capture that sense of narrowness and intimacy.

What does the title Fishbowl represent for you metaphorically?

The title isn’t the same in French. The English name actually came from a poster designed by Théâtre du Rond-Point, where we first performed the play in Paris. It showed our characters like fish crammed into a bowl, and we immediately felt it was perfect, even if it doesn’t quite work in French. Metaphorically, Fishbowl captures the idea of a restricted life: being visible, confined, observed, and limited by your environment.

Physical Comedy

What are the challenges of telling a complex story almost entirely through physicality?

It’s incredibly demanding. At the beginning, we had no idea what the grammar or style of the show would be. We built it little by little, assembling fragments and throwing a lot away.

We told ourselves everything about these characters - their pasts, their hopes, their reasons to live and dream. As we learned to control our bodies, we realised something important: when the emotional life of a character is strong, it naturally comes through physically. Our emotions and states of mind began to speak for us.

How do you develop and refine comic timing without relying on dialogue?

We had very little experience in physical theatre, and we didn’t want to make mime. Above all, we didn’t want the audience to feel the absence of speech. We always said: these characters do speak, we’ve just chosen moments when they don’t. We filmed rehearsals and performances constantly, soon almost 600 of them. Watching ourselves became essential. It allowed us to analyse, adjust and perfect the mechanics of laughter. That’s how the timing was built.

Characters & Performance

These characters are described as anti-heroes - what makes them lovable despite their flaws?

Because their flaws are ours. We like them because we recognise ourselves in them. Don’t we all feel our lives are sometimes too small for our original dreams? Aren’t we all a bit clumsy in love? The maid’s rooms become a metaphor for that. When the characters fail or trip over themselves, the laughter isn’t cruel, it’s full of empathy. It’s a kind of laughter that saves us.

How do you approach building character without spoken text?

We created very precise character biographies, inspired by Stanislavski’s approach. The rule was simple: the more dramatic the failure feels to the character, the more it connects to past disappointments and traumas, and the deeper and richer the laughter becomes for the audience.

What’s the hardest scene physically or emotionally to perform?

Honestly, everything is difficult. We’re dealing with very classical acting emotions, but at the same time there are huge technical demands.The audience doesn’t see the rapid costume changes or the preparation with props, it’s a kind of backstage ballet. One second, we’re organising mechanics, the next we have to play confusion, shame or despair truthfully. Holding both at once is the real challenge.

Do audiences in different countries respond differently to the characters?

Not really. There’s something almost diabolical, and universal, about the mechanics of laughter. It crosses borders very easily.

Set Design

The set is often described as “incredibly realistic.” How important is realism in a farcical world?

Realism helps us say what words can’t. My character’s room, full of newspapers, cardboard boxes and random objects, immediately tells you who he is. By contrast, inside this realistic world, Olivier’s room is completely unreal: ultra-modern, all white, almost fantasy-like. That contrast between realism and illusion strengthens the comedy and the storytelling.

Audience & Impact

The show is often described as “timeless” - what makes it universal?

If it were only rhythm, it would be too simple, though rhythm is essential. What really allows the show to travel is the specificity of the characters. People recognise their own doubts and hopes in them, and that’s what lets the work cross borders.

What do you hope audiences take away beyond the laughter?

A feeling that they’ve seen something unlike anything else: virtuosic but also fragile, playful yet human. The mechanics are visible and non-intimidating, which makes the show accessible and emotional at the same time.

Has any audience feedback stayed with you over the years?

We created the show eleven years ago, and it’s moving to see people return with their children, who were too young before and now want to experience it properly. Many spectators come back again and again, often to introduce the show to someone else. That loyalty is very touching and gives real meaning to our work.

Lastly

Why should someone who’s never seen physical theatre come to Fishbowl?

Because it’s very easy to enter. You just watch, everything is clear and intuitive. You never feel excluded or limited by language or culture. It’s joyful, moving and comforting. It’s the kind of theatre that can reconcile people with theatre itself. Honestly, what more could you ask for?