posted September 20, 2001 13:53            

Review
The show must go on
Salle Ludger-Duvernay, Théâtre du Maurier of the Monument-National
September 19, 2001

Conceived by: Jérôme Bel
Performed by: Sonja Augart, Nicole Beutler, Olga de Soto, Herman Diephuis, Juan Dominguez, Dina ed Dik, Marie-Louise Gilcher, Carlos Pez, Benoit Izard, Cuqui Jerez, Eva Meyer Keller, Henrique Neves, Esther Snelder, Frédéric Seguette, Amaia Urra, Peter Vandenbempt, Hester van Hasselt, Simon Verde

Music: Leonard Bernstein, Galt MacDermott, David Bowie, John Lennon & Paul McCartney, Erick "More" Morillo & M. Quashie, Lionel Richie, Mark Knopfler, A.Romero Monge & R. Ruiz, Nick Cave, J. Horner, W. Jennings, Louiguy, Edith Piaf, Paul Simon, The Police & Hugh Padgham, George Michael, Norman Gimbel & Charles Fox, Queen

I have the feeling that Jérôme Bel has watched a lot of GAP ads. If you find them entertaining, as I do, you would probably have enjoyed Bel's show, which felt like one long GAP commercial. If you couldn't care less, well, you get the picture.

I couldn't decided if Bel wants to create some kind of social experiment with this work or if he is just amusing himself with physical comedy. Maybe it's a bit of both. The intro was two songs played back to back, and as the audience sat in darkness, it became clear that Bel was going to use music as the text for the evening's events.

When the cast finally walked on stage, all nineteen of them, they stood silently only breaking into movement for the chorus of David Bowie's Let's Dance. During Erick "More" Morillo's I like to move it one of the cast member drops his pants and 'swings free' for the entire song. I was amazed that he, er, kept it going so fast, for so long. I guesss a lot of rehearsing must have got him in shape.

One of the more poignant moments in the show was when Lionel Ritchie's Ballerina Girl came on over the PA and all of the men quickly left the stage. The women were left on the stage to act out their ballerina dreams. This was interesting-would those who obviously had some classical dance training put on an air of slacker-chic and not try too hard? Or would they give in to what's been trained into their bodies? Well, those who could, did. Those who couldn't were very funny, to say the least. I had a flashback to watching people on stage who have been hypnotized by "Reveen, the Impossibilist" when he gives them the suggestion that they are famous dancers.

Bel's homage to the movie, Titanic, which was accompanied by Celine Dion's My Heart will Go On had the Québec audience practically rolling on the floor.

It should be noted that the longest group sequence of choreography in the show was the Macarena.

Although some of the audience left the theatre, those who stayed enjoyed themselves. They clapped and sang along, some got up and danced. Paul Simon's Sound of Silence which was periodically shut off was resurrected by the crowd whistling the tune in its absence.

Québecers love sing alongs. Especially the youth.The success of the television game show La Fureur is a good indication of this; they gather weekly to watch the guest panel of Québec's musical stars guess song titles which allow the whole audience to burst into the song when the question is answered correctly. The show even has it's own dance and a team of go-go dancers. If Pontbriand and the programming committe were looking for something to bring in a new audience for contemporary dance, they hit the nail on the head with this one. For those who were less impressed, there's always Cunningham to look forward to.

For more grand labo diary, interactive links and photos, see our special FIND section.

posted September 21, 2001 08:11            

I liked this show so much I saw it a second time. This is the first dance festival I have been to where an audience member asked me if I wanted to dance during a performance. And this is the only show I have ever been to where I thought using popular music with lyrics actually worked (Nick Cave in a contemporary dance performance???). Maybe that's because this work is more about movement and how popular music speaks to us than conventional dance.

And finally, this is the first dance show I have been to where I wanted a set list of the music. So for those who asked me for a copy of mine:

-Tonight (West Side Story), Leonard Bernstein
-Let the Sun Shine In (Hair), Galt MacDermott
-Come together (Beatles), John Lennon/Paul McCartney
-Let's Dance, David Bowie
-I Like To Move It, Erick "More" Morillo/M. Quashie
-Ballerina Girl, Lionel Richie
-Private Dancer (Tina Turner), Mark Knopfler
-Macarena, A. Romero Monge/R.Ruiz
-Into My Arms, Nick Cave
-My Heart Will Go On (Celine Dion), James Horner/Will Jennings
-Yellow Submarine (Beatles), John Lennon/Paul McCartney
-La Vie En Rose, Edith Piaf
-Imagine, John Lennon
-Sound of Silence, Paul Simon
-Every Breath You Take, The Police
-Killing Me Softly (Roberta Flack), Norman Gimbel,Charles Fox
-The Show Must Go On, Queen

(see our FIND section for audio links)

posted September 21, 2001 10:52            

The show must go on

Video Excerpt 56K http://www.festivalnouvelledanse.ca/video_56k/the_show.mov

Video Excerpt DSL http://www.legrandlabo.com/video_dsl/the_showDSL.mov