Muse review | My muse is called Roger. So what ?

The Quebec circus collective, Flip Fabrique, presents these days at Tohu its 10^e creation, Muse. A pro-women and pro-diversity show, which gently pokes fun at gender stereotypes, but not always in a subtle way.

John Siag
The Press

The alpha males wear the equipment of football players while growling in the bass, while the girls, laughing, wear the tutu of the ballerinas pushing the note towards the treble. Classic, isn’t it?

Now, will you be surprised to see one of these manly players jump on a trapeze to do a gentle aerial number? A drag hoop? One of the girls become a porter? Or one of those chubby males donning the tutu before trampowalling with a certain virility?

It’s the kind of contrasts Muse seeks to bring out, but which today are not really revolutionary… I don’t know who will be surprised to see a man on the trapeze or the hoop, but this absence of borders seems acquired to us.

In the same way that the show of force of women is no longer to be done. Because Muse is also a resolutely pro-woman – and pro-diversity – show, during which militant messages are broadcast (from Natalie Portman to Rébecca Déraspe via Olivia Wilde, Emma Watson or Elliot Page).

Once again, if there is an artistic discipline where the strength of women speaks for itself, it is in the circus. The female trapeze duo (fabulous!, by the way) is proof of this. No need to add more.

This is perhaps what is most irritating in Muse, everything is highlighted in large strokes. As if the directors Sophie Thibeault and Maxime Robin had forgotten the evocative power of the circus. All this with an intro that stretches unduly, thus delaying our full immersion in this show that is struggling to find its rhythm.

As for the clown number of the artist who pretends not to know how to do the aerial hoop… before doing it, you have to find something else. We’ve seen that one too many times.

Also, the small segment on “consent”, which takes the form of a “ battle des sexes”, and which ends with a group number, does not do justice to the complexity of this issue, especially when we know the abuses that there have been (and still are) in the circus world, There’s a little discomfort there…

All is not lost in this Muse festive, in which we happily find Jérémie Arsenault, the only founding member of the collective still on stage. The likeable rasta from Quebec has lost none of his talent at the diabolo, which stirred up the crowd (few on Thursday night at La Tohu).

The presence of the charismatic singer Flávia Nascimento, who coats almost every number with her powerful voice (she sings, among other things, a fabulous version ofA witch like the others of Anne Sylvestre), is also a happy choice of the creators of Museit should be emphasized.

The jump rope numbers (a solo, but also group numbers) are also very unifying, as is the trampowall finale – Flip Fabrique’s signature number – always very impressive, which concludes this imperfect show rather well, which should trust a little more in the power and poetry of the circus.

Muse

At the TohuUntil November 13

6/10