If youth theater has existed in Quebec for more than 50 years, that intended for toddlers, this early childhood between 0 and 6 years old, still has its backside. There were of course some traces before the 2000s, some promising initiatives, notably those of Jasmine Dubé and her company Bouches Décousues, but it is especially since the beginning of the 21ste century, with the founding of the Petits bonheurs organization, this field of possibilities opened up in Quebec.
Co-founded in 2005 by Pierre Larivière, Petits bonheurs was inspired by what already existed in Europe at the time, namely a practice of shows for early childhood. Convinced that “art acts as a driving force in the overall development of the child”, he will make this conviction the mission of the organization, today directed by Esther Duquette. “Pierre has always had this vision of an engaged art […]of an art that could contribute to making a stronger society as a whole […] We had to give access to art to little ones, so that they could have this opportunity to develop, to experience beautiful moments as a family. There are enormous benefits for a child’s overall development from early access to artistic events. Pierre was convinced of that,” says Mme Duquette with respect and admiration.
From the start of the festival, the international component was therefore very important in order to make this proposal known and to create bridges between artists from here and there, explains the artistic and general director of the organization. “Today, there are several companies that produce arts for early childhood and it’s fascinating to see how Quebec is a leader in this. When we look elsewhere in Canada, there are artists who do it, but not with the same concentration as here. This shows that Little Happiness has a big impact on this development. » With figures in mind, she also underlines that at her 3e edition, the festival received some 12,000 spectators, a sign that it was already meeting a need.
A rigorous art
Over the past 20 years, like theater for teenagers or even adults, theater for toddlers has continued to develop and become more professional by offering rigorous offerings. Esther Duquette also insists on this rigor deployed by the artisans in order to stage shows for children who, for some, do not yet know how to speak or even walk. “I would even say that these are practices that require a little more research [que dans le théâtre pour les plus grands]. As human beings, we begin to have memories around the age of 7. So, with a lot of effort, we are able to return to the way we felt as a child or teenager. […] But we have very few memories of our experience as a child aged 0-6. »
To be able to offer speaking shows, the artists work hard upstream. “There is often a lot of work that is done in relation with the public before the work is completed in order, precisely, to validate […] Because we can’t really draw on our lived experiences, we have to submit artistic hypotheses to the public we are addressing,” explains Esther Duquette. While emphasizing that long periods of mediation are necessary to ensure that creators are on the right track.
And the public’s response does not take long, because little ones are very receptive to everything that appeals to their senses, the primary goal of shows. “It’s not difficult to get their attention. At that age, everything interests them. They have enormous curiosity and capacity for absorption. When it’s done well, the children respond. And we know it right away when it doesn’t work […] It’s an audience that doesn’t lie, that is extremely honest, that isn’t really aware of how to act in the theater. So it’s an extremely authentic response to what they are experiencing and seeing,” continues the director.
Although all the offerings for early childhood often tend to appeal to the senses of young people, to what they feel, the diversity of the shows is what best defines Little Happinesses, according to the director. “Even if it is a medium that remains restricted – there are not many artists who focus on this in Quebec – there are still many different practices and visions […] When the public comes to Petits bonheurs, there is no show that is the same. There is a diversity of approaches, disciplines and energy between, for example, The path of a thousand shootsby Emmanuelle Lizière and Alexandra Caron, which is very sweet […], delicate, and Alaclair Ensemble, which puts on a very festive family show. We have fun together, we move. All this is possible. »
Go off the beaten track
Alaclair Together? But yes, to mark its 20th anniversary, Petits bonheurs goes a little off the beaten track and has a blast, as Esther Duquette points out. First, there are three international shows, a component which had been put aside during the pandemic, including first words by ak warehouse, a fun show which features two men, a polyglot actor and a hip-hop dancer, in a show which invites children and parents to think about language.
And, the highlight of the festival, the closing show, which will take place on May 12 at the Maison de la culture Maisonneuve. As a big premiere, in a version adapted to little ears, Alaclair Ensemble will give a performance that is “out of the ordinary”, underlines Mme Duquette. “We really wanted a party, we wanted families to get together, dance, celebrate […] » Inviting parents to experience the festival with their children, the director deeply believes in the benefits of these performances, which are, she says, “an opportunity for discovery with your child. It’s a double spectacle. We receive the work as a parent and we receive it through the eyes of our child. We see him react, marvel, wonder about what he is seeing […] These shows will stimulate all the senses. The children will have something to hear, to touch, to see. And it’s very good on a social level,” she concludes enthusiastically.