Wednesday, March 31, 2010

AUTOBAHN races into the Freestanding Room

Autobahn by Neil Labute* is presented by Freestanding Productions at the Freestanding Room March 31 to April 3. An original production co-directed by Jock MacDonald, Isabel Farias and Nicole Braber. *"The average person spends about an eighth of their lives in cars, being their own car or others. In addition to transpotation, cars are also used as covert love nests, battlegrounds, or a place of refuge. This play is a dark, provolative collection of one-act plays, exploring how claustrophobic and deeply foreboding the inside of your average family car can be." A series of shorts plays: Funny, Bench Seat, All Apologies, Merge, Road Trip, and Autobahn, on a minimalist stage are presented in one act of approximately an hour and a half.

In addition to the clever stylized writing of the six short two handers, the cast of twelve is the featured element of this production with some very special stand out performances. Funny, Isabel Farias Lehoux, a teen in out of rehab vowing to be a repeater, she never shuts up and finds time to smoke a joint as her mother, Lois Dellar, who never utters a word drivers her home. Bench Seat, JoAnn Mailloux (a Avril Lavigne type) as the Walmart employee relationship junkie and Francis Néron as the potential assistant teacher boyfriend are 'parked' at look out point, but are they there to make out or break up? All Apologies, David Bronfman (a Robert Downey Jr. type) as the 'bad boy' husband and Karie Richards (a Kate Winslet type) the scorned wife sits and listens to his rant and rave for forgiveness. Merge, As they meander their way through traffic jams and detours Helena Marie Patté is the alcoholic wife returning from a business trip with a weighty confession to reveal to her concerned and naive husband Craig Thomas. Road Trip, Danielle Doiron and Daniel Giverin, play a young innocent student and an older creepy man, on a get-a-way trip to a secluded country cabin. Autobahn, Nicole Braber (a cross between a Laura Linney and Julianna Moore type) as a wife who berates her husband about accusations of his molesting a foster child, and the husband, David Bushman (a Daniel Craig type), who has nothing to say in his own defense. Although all of the performances are great, stand out moments that were well received by an appreciative audience were delivered by: Jo Ann Mailloux, Helena Marie Patté and David Bronfman.

Opening night was sold out, the intimate space (Freestanding Room - 4324 St. Laurent, 3rd Floor) has a very limited seating capacity so reserve ahead. Tickets 12$-8$ 514 817-6429
freestandingproductions@gmail.com

L'Archange promises to deliver a provocative punch!

L'Archange presented by Le Défibrillateau in French at Theatre Saint Catherine from March 30 to April 4. Featuring Maude Desbois as L'Archange and Philippe Mangerel (who is also the playwright) as Le Torturé. Directed by Marl Chikhani.

The play is a monologue with two actors on stage, one delivers the dialogue and one is bound and gaged to an office chair. They are both locked away in a sky scraper. The Archangle is enigmatic and furious, sometimes cheerful sometimes childish, sometimes forgiving yet very cruel. She (Maude Desbois) is costumed ambiguously as a male in a white shirt and a black suit. The captive is caked in prosthetics of blood covered oozing wounds and tattered clothes. The stage set is heavily filled, with wooden ladders and planks and a chair, also a chest filled with wires and explosives.

The raw writing style moves forward at a quick pace and never turns back, unforgiving, without trepidation never turning away the contradictions that are opposed, it draws the portrait of a character with multiple personalities who believes in the convictions and founded good of the actions. Imagine it's one of those very uncomfortable moments in a Tarantino film, when you can anticipate the outcome but you still watch and wait for it to happen. However unlike one of those scenes in those films that last only a few minutes, here you'll be sitting and watching this visual unfold for over 45 minutes. How do you like your torture?! Tickets 15$ Admission 514 790-1245.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

CAFé CAFé PARIS is bitter...sweet @ TSC.

CAFé CAFé PARIS Produced by Nouveau International. Playwright and director Alain Mercieca. Presented at Théâtre Saint Catherine March 18 to 27. The sixth chapter in Montreal’s only «cabaret sitcom» is bitter sweet, as CAFé CAFé ‘PARIS’ is the stand-alone final chapter to this bilingual comedy series that put Theatre 314 on the map before its demise.

After a full season of cynicism, revolution, hockey, contemporary dance, gargoyles and all-in-all allongé love, the CAFé CAFé gang is back, this time being transported from Montreal to Paris via a wild dream of poet Vlad MaHoney’s. Vlad’s Paris is a topsy-turvy burlesque, where poets are rich and corporate types struggle to survive. As always, love rains down from the grey skies in this farce about the destiny of society and the ability of humans to persist and follow their dreams, no matter how small, or futile they are.

Enter with an open mind and a light heart and you'll be entertained by this light in plot creative sketch comedy driven production. Layered with a great functional set design, appropriately assigned costumes, and very well produced original video projection, this heavy on the special effects production is pure comedic camp at its best. A well balanced Anglo-Franco text is cleverly written to give all of the characters their equal moments to show off the individual talents of the cast. Stand outs are those of both: Caroline Braun, as the waitress who has big dreams of becoming a pop-star, she pops off the stage with her bravado performance; Massimo Cannistrato as the CAFé owner delivers a consistent performance with a noteworthy moment when he rants off to his daughter.

Like the lyrics from Adam Lambert's controversial AMA début hit song "...I'm here for your entertainment..." These artists are obviously having at least as much fun playing on stage if not more than the audience members in the seats.
CAFé CAFé features a motley crew of local rising talents and Montreal improve main stays with/avec: Sandi Armstrong, Jean-Philippe Brassard, Caroline Braun, T.J. Harris , Katie Leggitt , Massimo, Catherine Moreau et Maïté Sinave. Original music by: Joe McLean. Video by: Mark Louch, Glyn Jones & Annie Ouellette. GO C IT!


McGill Drama Festival - Dent

McGill Drama Festival - Dent Play by Daniel St-Germaine. Directed by Max Zidel. Presented at McGill's Players' Theatre March 16 to 27.

Review pending.

Father Land

Father Land Produced by Infintheatre. Playwright Arthur Holden. Director Guy Sprung. At the Bain St-Michel March 9 to 28.

Review pending.

Faires des enfants de Éric Noel

Faires des enfants Piece de Éric Noel. Mise en scène de Pierre Bernard. Présenter par des finissants 2010 de l'École Nationale de Théâtre. Au Monument-National Hydro-Québec du 9 au 13 mars.

Review pending.

Morro and Jasp Do Puberty

Morro and Jasp Do Puberty Produced by Up Your Nose and in Your Toes. Directed by Brron Pochinko. Created, and performed by Toronto based Amy Lee and Heather Marie Annis.

Review pending.

Old Wicked Songs

Old Wicked Songs Playwright Jon Marans. Director Martin Faucher. At the Segal Center March 7 to 21.

Review pending.

A Line In The Sand

A Line In The Sand Produced by Table d'Hôte Theatre. Playwrights Guillermo Verdecchia and Marcus Youssef. Directed by Mike Payette. At the Segal studio March 9 to 21.

Review pending.

The Comedy of Errors

The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare. Directed by Peter Hinton. At Centaur Theatre March 2 to 28.

Review pending.

The Nutmeg Princess

The Nutmeg Princess is produced by Black Theatre Workshop. A school touring production, part of Black History Month. Presented at the BTW-MAI space. Saturday afternoons throughout the month of February. Playwright Richardo Keens-Douglas. Directed by Liz Valdez.

Review pending.

Women Beware Women NTS 2010 Graduates

Women Beware Women by Thomas Middleton. Directed by David Latham. Performed at the Monument-National Ludger-Duvernay Theatre, February 22 to 26.

Review pending.

No More Raisins No More Almonds - YAYA

No More Raisins No More Almonds The Young Actors for Young Audiences (YAYA) performed a special presentation at the Segal Center for the Performing Arts, Thursday, February 25. Playwright Batia Bettman. Artistic director Bryna Wasserman.

Review pending.

Douleurs Fantômes de Mireielle Maynard-Fiset

Douleurs Fantômes de Mireille Maynard-Fiset, mise en scène de Christian Lapointe. Présenter par les finissants 2010 de l'École Nationale de Théâtre au Monument-National Hydro-Québec du 16 au 20 février.

Review pending.