Montreal Completely Circus | Circus on three steel giants

During the summer, the Montréal Complètement cirque festival will offer one of the most grandiose projects in its history with the installation of three giant structures downtown, which will serve as the stage for as many circus shows.

Stephanie Morin
The Press

These human-shaped structures will stand in three locations in the expanded downtown: Jardins Gamelin, Place Ville Marie and Parc Vinet (located a stone’s throw from the Atwater Market). Nearly 16 meters high, each of these “Giants” will host a different circus company, namely Cirque Éloize, Les 7 Doigts and Machine de cirque. A total of 60 free performances will be offered throughout the duration of the festival.

The Montréal Complètement cirque festival and TOHU, which produces Les Géants, received $2.8 million from Tourisme Montréal for this project, which should contribute to the revival of the downtown area, hard hit by the pandemic.

“The Giants are currently under construction in Varennes and will begin to be assembled in June,” says Nadine Marchand, director of Montréal Complètement cirque. “The shows presented in each venue will be different, but linked by a common theme, that is to say the cultural giants that have marked the history of Quebec. All three companies have chosen very human, very organic approaches. The music will also be very present in each of the shows. »

For Cirque Éloize, which will perform at the Jardins Gamelin, water will be a central element of the show. Jean-Guy Legault, director, explains: “Our Giant will have its feet in the water. The show will bring together several styles, colors and sounds, which form the great Montreal mosaic, notably with the presence of a singer. We drew a lot of inspiration from the giants who brought Quebec culture beyond our borders. »

Les 7 Doigts will benefit from a central space at Place Ville Marie. The staging is provided by Isabelle Chassé, Patrick Léonard and Samuel Tétreault. “One of the first questions we asked ourselves was to know what qualities it takes to become a giant, says Patrick Léonard. It takes perseverance, passion, sensitivity…”

Because human emotions pass through the heart, the company has chosen to endow its steel giant with an immense heart that will be assembled over the seven scenes. “Ten artists will create beautiful group paintings,” adds Isabelle Chassé. For the music, we can count on the talent of Camille Poliquin and Laurence Lafond-Beaulne [le duo derrière le groupe Milk & Bone]. »

Finally, Machine de cirque will set up its Giant in Parc Vinet, in a green setting made up of trees and stones. “It will be a space where nature will reclaim its rights,” explains Maxime Laurin, who signs the staging with actor Alex Trahan. “It will be an initiatory journey punctuated by the singer Inès Talbi. »

To revive life in the city center

As we know, the city center has suffered a lot from the pandemic. But with the Giants, Yves Lalumière, president and CEO of Tourisme Montréal, hopes to find some of the animation that prevailed in the central sector of the city before the health crisis. “This is the most important project at the strategic level and it is also the one that received the largest share of the budget allocated to the revival of tourism in Montreal. It is hoped that with their attractiveness, the Giants will contaminate restaurants and businesses in the city center, for which the pandemic has been extremely painful. The project also confirms Montréal’s place as the world capital of the circus. »

The question that remains is whether these steel giants will be used for more than a year. That’s what Nadine Marchand wants: “What we would like is for these giants to become a brand image for Montreal. But we have to find funding. Yves Lalumière has the same argument: “We would like to be able to use these structures for three to five years. But that would require the corporate community to get more involved. »

The shows of the Giants will be presented from July 7 to 17. Two performances per day will be offered, at 6 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.