Midnight somewhere | Ten bodies in the night

Twice a month, The Press presents news in the world of theater, circus and dance, in Montreal and Quebec

No matter what time of day you are, there is always someone on this planet who sinks into the night, into that troubled moment where dreams arise and where darkness favors the birth of desire, the encounter bodies.

It is under this rich premise that the show unfolds Midnight somewhereorchestrated by choreographers Lydia Bouchard and Merryn Kritzinger, which will be presented by Danse Danse at the Théâtre Maisonneuve before touring across Quebec.

The two women were approached by the Mickaël Spinnhirny Agency to stage this ode to the night in which eight renowned Quebec choreographers collaborated. See for yourself: Marie Chouinard, Anne Plamondon, Kristen Céré, Ismaël Mouaraki, Virginie Brunelle, Charles-Alexis Desgagnés, Lydia Bouchard and Merryn Kritzinger have all created an original tableau of this protean work for 10 performers.

“The image that comes to me about this show is that of a collection of choreographic short stories, written around a single theme,” says Lydia Bouchard. Why did you choose this specific theme? “I find it very beautiful to know that as we speak, it is nighttime somewhere and that there is someone about to celebrate. Somewhere there are people dancing. This connection that unites all humanity is very inspiring,” says the choreographer.

“The action takes place in a non-place where the universes change,” adds Merryn Kritzinger. The dancers are really the narrators. It’s a little destabilizing for them. It takes a lot of skill to navigate from one state to another like this. We are in prowess; they are all stage beasts. » This is all the more true as the eight choreographers focused on intensity in their painting, all wanting to take advantage of the abundance of performers at their disposal!

You should know that in addition to the diversity of voices expressed in Midnight somewhere, the ten dancers also come from different backgrounds: some come from the world of break, others from classical ballet or contemporary dance. Four of them participated in the popular show Revolution.

The meeting of all these choreographic languages ​​and all these experiences is at the heart of this audacious project. “We wanted to break down barriers, to make these different worlds talk to each other. The cast is a bit punk. We didn’t want to be stuck in one school of thought, but rather take advantage of the alchemy of meeting all these bodies,” explains Lydia Bouchard.

Time for music

However, we should not consider this show as a disparate quilt. The two directors, who together founded the dance company La Résistance, gave precise orders to each choreographer in order to ensure a certain unity to the whole. The music for the eight scenes was also composed by one and the same person, Alex McMahon.

How to describe this sound universe which will adorn the show?

The soundtrack composed entirely of original music will soon be available on Spotify. “To accompany night walkers…” says Merryn Kritzinger.

By bringing together these choreographic and sound worlds in a single production, the creators hope to meet a wide range of audiences. Including those who liked the show Revolution. “We feel that people have an interest in dance and Midnight somewhere can serve as a bridge to introduce them to high-level choreographers and dancers. We would be crazy not to reach out to this audience, to this outstretched hand. »

It is also to promote dance beyond the venues of the metropolis that the Mickaël Spinnhirny Agency has planned a pan-Quebec tour for this major show. After Montreal, production will pass through some 20 cities in the province until May 2025.

Visit the show website

Also on display

UlsterAmerican

After public and critical success during its creation in 2021, UlsterAmerican, a black comedy produced by the Théâtre de La Manufacture, will be performed at La Licorne, from February 6 to 24. The play by Irish playwright David Ireland, translated by François Archambault, is directed by Maxime Denommée. The latter directs Frédéric Blanchette, Lauren Hartley and Vincent Leclerc, who takes over the role initially played by David Boutin in 2021. The tour of around ten cities in Quebec will continue with two stops in Laval and Repentigny, after the Montreal performances.

From February 6 to 24, at La Licorne

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Luc Boulanger, The Press

Not lost, stage documentaries

Duceppe presents an encore at the Théâtre Maisonneuve Not lost, stage documentaries. A show by Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette and Émile Proulx-Cloutier which explores our relationship to memory, transmission and language. “Humanity, when told so well, is more beautiful than what the news says. And hope finds ground to be reborn,” our colleague Stéphanie Morin nicely wrote at the creation of the show, in spring 2022, at the Center du Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui.

From February 14 to 18, at the Théâtre Maisonneuve at Place des Arts

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Luc Boulanger, The Press

The Mirror

The Diamond presents The Mirror from the Australian company Gravity & Other Myths. This show, which challenges the art of circus as a discipline, is unique in its kind. “ The Mirror is the company’s most physically and conceptually ambitious challenge to date. The high-level dancing and acrobatics in this creation are balanced by an innovative contemporary design, using an LED wall, cameras and selfie sticks,” summarizes the broadcaster’s press release.

From February 8 to 10, at the Théâtre Diamant, in Quebec

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Luc Boulanger, The Press

Retrospective – Lara Kramer

The multidisciplinary Anishinaabe artist of mixed Oji-Cree and settler origins Lara Kramer is the subject of a retrospective at Espace Libre, the opportunity to see or re-watch two striking and impactful works from the repertoire of the woman whose creative process is is interested in the generational impacts of residential schools for Indigenous people and calls for resistance. Windigo, first, unfolds in a postapocalyptic universe, an act of resistance to the violation of indigenous lands and cultures, and questioning of the Canadian colonial narrative. In Them Voicesa solo performance by Lara Kramer, the body becomes this artistic vector where past and future stories converge and where the generations of yesterday and tomorrow manifest themselves.

From February 8 to 10 (Windigo : February 8 and 10Them Voices : February 9 and 10), at Espace Libre

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Iris Gagnon-Paradis, The Press

Body literature

The work of Margie Gillis lives on through the Margie Gillis Dance Foundation. To mark half a century of creation and dance, the soloist and committed humanist is beginning a new era, by transmitting her repertoire to other artists. Everything is presented by Danse Danse in a double program bringing together 16 performers: firstly, a choreography inspired by the harsh reality of climate refugees; then the second part offers an immersion in the world of Molly Bloom, the indomitable character of the novel Ulyssesby James Joyce.

February 9 and 10, at the Théâtre Maisonneuve

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Iris Gagnon-Paradis, The Press