C’est bon

Young Chang

The French flag is “bleu, blanc et rouge.” Children at Fete

Fantastique will learn today that these words mean “blue, white and red,”

that troubadours in the old days entertained nobility in France and that

they too can be impressionist painters.

Fete Fantastique, a celebration of Newport Beach’s relationship with

its sister city Antibes, France, draws to a close with an afternoon of

activities touching on everything from mimes and caricatures to language

games and ballet.

Organizers with the Sister City Association anticipate at least 200

people will attend the festival. A celebration held last summer to mark

Newport Beach’s relationship with its sister city in Japan drew 800

people.

“Let me tell you,” said Marie Atkins, co-chair of the Antibes

Committee, “as a French person living here, I’m excited. It’s a great

opportunity to introduce young people in Newport Beach to France.”

Ken Frawley, a troubadour from Orange, will tell medieval tales and

sing songs while in costume -- a blue shirt with gold adornments, puffy

sleeves and pants that balloon out and stop at the knees. Oral

storytelling was the way lessons on humanity and morality were passed

down for thousands of years, he said.

“When [children] get to see a live performer, they get to interact,”

Frawley said. “It’s not just a screen or television or a movie, it’s

somebody in front of them.”

One French folk tale Frawley plans to share is “Chanteclair,” the

story of a conceited rooster who thinks he’s beautiful until the day he

gets bitten by a fox. By the end of the tale, the rooster learns about

humility.

Another was taken from a book containing excerpts from a woman’s

journal about the day she made soap outdoors and three indians rode up to

her. The villagers feared the indians, but the visitors just asked to

taste the soap. They tried some and then rode away.

The woman wrote in her diary that the indians must have left because

the soap tasted so bad.

Frawley plans to sing songs he wrote in medieval style and tell

stories with the help of dragon and knight puppets.

“Storytelling is the soul of humanity,” he said.

Other entertainment includes a local troupe presenting a

behind-the-scenes look at the components of French ballet, storyteller

Barbara Klein telling French folk tales and illusionist Ruben Gerard

presenting a program of mime and caricature.

Atkins, a resident of Newport Beach, will lead French lessons,

teaching the basics like “hello” -- “bonjour” -- and “goodbye” -- “au

revoir.”

“This will introduce them to the sound of French language,” Atkins

said, “Hopefully it’ll make them interested to learn French.”

Poli Rizco will teach about French artists and encouragechildren to

try creating their own artwork.

“It’s French art for all ages,” said Melissa Adams, media coordinator

for the library. “A crash course in the French masters.”

FYI

WHAT: Fete Fantastique

WHEN: Noon to 4 p.m. today

WHERE: Newport Beach Central Library, 1000 Avocado Ave.

COST: Free

CALL: (949) 717-3800