After slimming editions essentially limited to local companies, the 14e circus arts festival will once again welcome foreign companies. Eight of the twelve shows presented indoors from July 6 to 16 come from Australia, the United States, France, Mexico and the Czech Republic, learned The Press.
Montréal Complètement cirque had already announced the return of the Australian company Gravity & Other Myths (A Simple Space, Backbone), which will open the festival on July 5 with its show-event ThePulse. This acrobatic piece created in 2021 will bring together on stage 24 acrobats and 36 Catalan singers.
Another company from the country of kangaroos is part of the program unveiled this Thursday by the management of La Tohu. This is Briefs Factory International, which will be in Montreal for the first time to present Dirty-Laundrywhich mixes the circus with “the art of drag, dance and burlesque”.
Moreover, it is our Barbada drag who will accompany the Australian hostess of the evening, Shivanana.
PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Barbados
The Czech company Cirk La Putyka, which tours a lot in Europe, will present its show Runners in a setting that includes an elevated treadmill on which performers perform their numbers. It’s happening in the circular room of the Tohu from July 12 to 16.
The United States is back with BraveSpace of the Aloft Circus Arts company, which will present its show outside the Tohu, in a small marquee. We can expect to see trapeze, hoop or even hand-to-hand acts in an intimate setting.
In a more theatrical form, the Argentinian company will present A Domingo (one Sunday), by El Galpón de Guevara and Proyecto Migra. We are told a program of acrobatics, illusions, magic and contortions.
The return of the beards!
France will be represented by Noémi Boutin and Jörg Müller, who will present Saraband. He merges dance and juggling; she performs three Cello suites of Bach.
PHOTO IDIL SUKAN, PROVIDED BY MONTREAL COMPLÈTEMENT CIRQUE
Cirque Alfonse will perform his play Bearded this summer.
From Quebec, we will be able to see the bearded men of Cirque Alfonse, who will resume their piece Beardedcreated almost 10 years ago, in 2014. But we will also see new blood with Hemisphereof Projet Sanctuaire, which will bring together acrobats from Quebec in an electro-pop adaptation of Four Seasons by Vivaldi.
We can also see the family show GLOBAL, from the Les Foutoukours troupe, at the Maison Théâtre. A play featuring two clownish characters; as well as The afternoon falls when your cookies go to ruinfrom La Croustade, formed by the Quebec duo Éline Guélat and Vincent Jutras.
Finally, still in the family shows section, Mexico will present Julietby Gabriela Muñoz, a mixture of physical theater and clownish art that addresses the theme of old age.
Please note that the Monastery team will present its Last Judgment Cabaret at the Garden of St. Jax Church, rue Sainte-Catherine. A friendly competition in which many circus artists will compete, but at the end of which only one will get their hands on the Golden Chalice.