Whether in a gesture as small as getting out of bed, taking charge of oneself or in one that embraces more broadly and greens the future while ensuring a better distribution of wealth, commitment is at the heart of the message of the 7e edition of Scriptarium presented these days at the Fred-Barry room of the Denise-Pelletier theater.
It is under the police station of the DD Joanne Liu — president of Médecins sans frontières and emergency pediatrician at the Sainte-Justine university hospital center — that a group of adolescents from the Montreal and Quebec regions indulged in prose and discussed causes and problems. events that arouse a desire for engagement. The writing of a personal diary which allows, after a few months, to emerge from one’s cocoon, the obligation to put an end to a stifling friendly relationship, to circumscribe one’s own gender identity, to stage the absurdity of the 1 % of the world’s wealth, denouncing sexual violence, these are all topics covered by adolescents and directed by Sylvain Scott, co-founder and co-artistic director of Théâtre Le Clou.
Trendy themes, very anchored in social discourse, subjects which certainly concern young people and which, more broadly, should affect everyone. But in this desire to get involved, the words remain very formatted, corrupted in a sort of recitation without us feeling the passion and the urgent need to change things.
In the lead, this teenager (Sophie Boucher Moutou) under the influence of her cell phone who remains stuck in her room. After presenting all the disasters linked to the overuse of the telephone, she commits to getting rid of it and makes “the dizzying promise of no longer [se] hide in its downy cocoon. A completely honorable, enviable oath, but not very credible.
Under the direction of the DD Joanne Liu that a group of teenagers from the Montreal and Quebec regions indulged in prose
Clean staging
In order to leave room for speech, Sylvain Scott’s direction remains refined. Above the stage sits an immense canvas, the profile of a man, head down, mouth open, as if to scream his indignation or his need to express himself. In the center, a cube which will serve as different settings, notably as a bedroom.
Then, on each side of this adolescent island, this cozy cocoon, musical instruments, microphones which the four actors will use. The effect band of garage heard is perfectly suited to adolescence, to this need to sing one’s convictions with sincerity without everything being perfect. The fair and solid voices of Catherine Beauchemin, Anaëlle Boily-Talbot, Sophie Boucher Moutou and Samuel Décary respectfully carry the adolescent voice to this end.
Despite all this good will, these promises, this determination to take charge, there is unfortunately in this edition of the Scriptarium little room given to imagination, passion and the burning desire to change things. We check a lot of boxes, we express ourselves on a lot of things, but everything comes together in an automatic, robotic way, with a seriousness that has nothing to stir up the crowds.