Premiere Thursday night at the Théâtre St-Denis while André-Philippe Gagnon was back on stage in Montreal, after several years on the road.
With Mister everyone, the indefatigable imitator delivers a rather intimate and personal show, compared to his previous performances. While remaining, at 59, a vocal “machine”. A unique talented imitator, capable of borrowing the voices of a multitude of singers in a matter of seconds. And to perform extracts of their great hits.
Under the rich lighting of Pierre St-Mars, in the staging of Guy Lévesque, the interpreter speaks to us almost as much as he sings. He tells us about some feats of arms of his 36-year career, then pays tribute to women (with among others Woman I love you, by Julien Clerc). He even reveals his vulnerability that he has long hidden under his eternal smile.
PHOTO PHILIPPE BOIVIN, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Under the rich lighting of Pierre St-Mars, in the direction of Guy Lévesque, André-Philippe Gagnon speaks to us almost as much as he sings.
From the outset, the artist tells us that musical memory is, after olfactory memory, the one that provides the most good for humans. Of which act. It will be the frame of Mister everyone. An evening to revisit our musical memories, without forgetting the most recent successes (Cotton Quilted, Nobody woman).
In the nostalgic register, Gagnon combines the voice of Gilbert Bécaud with that of Neil Diamond in a very successful number. In the next segment, the imitator plays the virtual DJ with a playlist eclectic; who goes from Love is the air to a saucy song, passing by As usual by Claude François.
“The Man with a Thousand Voices” has rejuvenated his repertoire a little (forget Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie). However, he keeps some classics such as Barry White (Can’t get enough of your love); David Bowie (Heroes); and a (very successful) Mick Jagger (Sympathy for the devil).
PHOTO PHILIPPE BOIVIN, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
André-Philippe Gagnon is an artist who makes us smile while singing.
Of course, Gagnon performs better with the classics than with the new ones. His imitations of Michel Louvain and Aznavour are more convincing than those of Hubert Lenoir and Patrice Michaud. However, Gagnon manages to renew himself, although his audience remains more or less the same as in the 1990s.
The highlight of the evening is his Showman blues, a parody of Blues of the businessman by Plamondon, revisited by Sylvain Larocque (who collaborates on the texts with Gagnon and Jean Kohnen). A brilliant number in which the performer imitates, with a single breath (!), The voices of 16 Quebec singers, including Claude Dubois, Roch Voisine, Richard Desjardins, Pierre and Jean Lapointe, René Simard, Mario Pelchat, Plume Latraverse … Impressive !
Entertaining and a bit short (about 1 hour 20 minutes, including reminder and thanks), Mister everyone ends with the song Smile; a word that sums up the philosophy of André-Philippe Gagnon, an artist who makes us smile while singing.
Mister everyone
Until Saturday at St-Denis, before going to the Capitole in Quebec and on tour until spring 2022.
Consult the André-Philippe Gagnon website for the dates of the shows