Bon spectacle!

Du 17 au 28 février 2010
Du mardi au samedi à 20h et le dimanche à 15h
Régulier 20$ // Étudiants et UDA 16$ // Carte premières : 10$
Date Premières : du 17 au 21 février 2010
Billetterie : 450 646-6435

Texte : Véronique Pascal d’après une conception de Jean Belzil-Gascon, Évelyne Fournier et Véronique Pascal
Mise en scène : Jean Belzil-Gascon
Avec Evelyne Fournier, Véronique Pascal, Frédéric Jeanrie, Pierre Limoges, Myriame Larose et Jean Belzil-Gascon

Une femme fin vingtaine est retrouvée morte, sur ses nombreux dossiers. Je : Faits Divers propose une vision impressionniste des derniers moments de la vie d’Anne Sabourin, une employée de bureau ambitieuse et travaillante. Échéances devancées, 5 à 7 thématiques, promotion, pause-cigarettes, stress, cafés, magouilles, congé reporté, tout l’univers du travail dans une grande entreprise de calibre international contenu dans un spectacle théâtral. Entremêlant le théâtre de marionnette et d’ombres avec le jeu réaliste du théâtre traditionnel, Je: Faits Divers propose une création différente et audacieuse. Librement inspirée de faits réels mais surprenants, d’anecdotes et de faits vécus, le spectacle traite de l’omniprésence du travail dans notre société et constitue une véritable charge poétique contre un système économique qui s’essouffle, une brèche dans le temps, où le spectateur est amené à se questionner sur ses propres habitudes.

Fondée par Myriame Larose, Annie Durocher et Évelyne Fournier, la compagnie Les Ironistes a connu un franc succès avec sa première création, Ratatatarats ! Elle s’associe maintenant à de nouveaux créateurs en chapeautant Je : faits divers

Scénographie, marionnettes et costumes : Annie Durocher et Valérie Cusson
Lumières : Josiane Fontaine-Zuchowski
Son : Guillaume Sauriol-Lacoste
Régie : Magali Letarte
Crédit photo : Frédérique Ménard-Aubin

BENT
By Martin Sherman
Directed by Carolyn Fe

Thursday November 5th – Sunday November 15th, 2009

Max: “We’ll miss the Olympics next month in Berlin.”
Horst: “I knew there was a reason I didn’t want to be here in Dachau.”

Montreal, October 2009- BENT is a story of acceptance, tolerance and love in the wrong place and time. Altera Vitae is honoured to present their fourth production, playing at Espace 4001 (formerly Geordie Space) from November 5 to 15. Directed by Carolyn Fe, the talented cast includes Vance De Waele, Yves Jacquier, Adam Leblanc, Christopher Moore, Serge Turcotte and Mark Waters in this poignant piece. Altera Vitae produces quality works of theatre that engage and service the community. One of the company’s raisons d’êtres is helping those who need to be heard. With each new production, they partner with a valuable organization whose mandate is similar to themes in the play. For Bent, Altera Vitae supports GRIS-Montreal. Says Carolyn Fe, Altera Vitae’s artistic director, “I am proud to have found GRIS-Montreal for this production. Their important work takes them into the schools and demystifies homosexuality to local youth by educating students with a non-lecturing, judgment-free approach.” This year marks GRIS-Montreal’s 15th year servicing the community.

Bent highlights Paragraph 175, a largely ignored German law making homosexuality a criminal offense, which Hitler reactivated and reinforced during his rise to power. Gays were arrested and interned at work camps prior to the genocide of the Jews, Gypsies and handicapped, and continued to be imprisoned even after the fall of the Third Reich and liberation of the camps. To director Carolyn Fe, herself a visible minority, it is important to show the ‘minorities’ that were sharing the horrors of the concentration camps. Each coloured patch- pink, red, green, black, brown, purple, blue and of course, yellow, had a meaning and a ‘pride line’. The pink triangle was the lowest. Fe hopes the play reminds people how to find strength and dignity at their lowest moments, “For me, this play goes beyond the pink triangle; it goes all the way to accepting and believing in oneself regardless of how difficult the environment or the times may be.” The company is so pleased at the number of school groups who will be seeing the production.

Christopher Moore plays Max, a character both filled with hope and in denial. For Moore, the play is summed up beautifully and painfully in the last lines when Max says to Horst, “I love you. What’s wrong with that?” He says the role has brought to his attention what it takes to survive certain atrocities that many people outside (and some inside) North America face every day, “I hope the audience is able to appreciate the idea of this union of love in a time when it was illegal and especially in the camp, unthought-of and not dared.” He would like people to go home answering, “There is nothing wrong with that”. For Vance De Waele, in the role of Horst, additionally, “The themes in the play go beyond sexual orientation or identity.” Bent also contains an unforgettable love scene.

The integral designs are by creative team Scott Drysdale, lights and Dan Legault, sound. The stage manager is Anne-Marie Pierre. The play’s theme song is David Bowie’s Heroes: “Though nothing will drive them away; We can beat them, just for one day; We can be Heroes, just for one day. ”

Taken from the Latin expression, Spes Altera Vitae, meaning ‘another hope of life’, Altera Vitae Productions proposes a peek at another life through theatrical presentations. This, if only for a brief moment in time, whether it be as a member of the audience, on stage or behind the scenes. In keeping with Altera Vitae providing a peak at ‘another life’, Bent is an excellent example. In its short time on the local theatre landscape, Altera Vitae has managed to capture the attention of the public and the media, garnering an Honorable Mention for the Revelation Award at the 2008 Montreal English Critics’ Circle Award (MECCA) ceremony.

“I worked a deal. I’m good at that.”- Max

BENT
Altera Vitae Productions
Playing at Espace 4001
4001 Berri (near Duluth)

Tuesday to Sunday, 8:00 pm
Matinees: Saturday and Sunday, 2:00 pm
20$ regular, 18$ students/seniors
Two-for-one: Sat. Nov. 7 and Sun. Nov. 8 at 2pm, to help spread
word of mouth
Reservations: 514-823-8823 or purchase online:

http://www.alteravitae.com/bent/tickets.html

www.alteravitae.com
www.gris.ca

Media sponsor: http://fugues.com/

Depuis plus de 10 ans, Geordie Productions a soutenu avec fierté le théâtre à Montréal en offrant son studio polyvalent à des compagnies de théâtre et de danse émergentes pour répétitions, rencontres, ateliers et spectacles.

Avec son atmosphère intime et détendu au cœur du Plateau Mont-Royal, l’Espace 4001 Space (antérieurement appelé l’Espace Geordie / The Geordie Space) est convoité par les compagnies émergentes ainsi que les compagnies indépendantes qui désirent présenter leurs œuvres au public.  Aujourd’hui, il reçoit régulièrement quelques uns des meilleurs événements offerts à Montréal en anglais et en français, y compris le Festival St-Ambroise Fringe, l’Altera Vitae, le Théâtre de la Marée Haute et le Théâtre de la Pacotille.

“Geordie s’engage à donner l’opportunité à toutes les compagnies d’utiliser ce que nous appelions avant ‘l’Espace Geordie’: nous ne nous chargeons pas de sa programmation.  Bien que nous avons prêté bien longtemps notre nom à cette salle, nous reconnaissons qu’elle appartient véritablement à la communauté des compagnies théâtrales qui l’adoptent comme leur propre salle de répétition et de spectacle.“ – Dean Fleming, directeur artistique de Geordie Productions.

Le nouveau logo Espace 4001 Space, créé par Paria Hassani, a été choisi suite à un lancement d’appel au réseau grandissant de bénévoles à Geordie Productions.

Geordie Productions continuera à utiliser l’espace pour les répétitions en vue de ses tournées d’écoles ainsi que de ses séries Mainstage pour familles et écoles qui sont présentées à des lieux plus larges au centre-ville.

For over 10 years, Geordie Productions has proudly supported theatre in Montreal by offering its multi-purpose studio theatre space to young theatre and dance companies for rehearsals, meetings, workshops and to showcase their work.

With its intimate and relaxed atmosphere set in the heart of the Plateau, Espace 4001 Space (formerly known as The Geordie Space / Espace Geordie) has become a coveted venue for both independent and emerging companies to present their works.  Today, it regularly hosts some of the best culture Montreal has to offer in both English and French, including The St-Ambroise Fringe Festival, Altera Vitae, Théâtre de la Marée Haute, and Théâtre de la Pacotille.

“Geordie is committed to giving all companies the opportunity to use what we’ve formerly called The Geordie Space: we do not curate its programming.  Although we’re lent our name to this space for a long time, we recognize that it really belongs to the community of so many theatre companies who adopt it as their rehearsal and performance home.“ – Dean Fleming, Artistic Director of Geordie Productions.

The new L’Espace 4001 Space logo by Paria Hassani was selected from a call made out to Geordie Productions’ growing network of volunteers.

Geordie Productions continues to use the space to rehearse both its School Tour productions and its Mainstage Series for families and schools, which is presented in larger venues in downtown Montreal.