Review | Campers have fun

La Tohu welcomes special vacationers for the holidays, goofy and endearing campers, acrobatic at their leisure, for a show in rhythm and music, nicely packed into good humor.

Hard not to leave Camping with smile. After more than 300 performances in Europe and across the province, the dozen acrobats from the Théâtre à Tempo de Québec, visiting Montreal until the end of the year, will undoubtedly delight the little ones (and their parents). !). It must be said that the sustained rhythm, the clowning which multiplies, and the catchy music, on stage, on top of that, have a lot to do with it. Despite a few short lengths, we don’t really see the time passing. Parents of young children, be aware that the show lasts two hours (twenty-minute intermission included).

Let’s say it from the outset, we are not here for technical prowess, even if there will be some, here and there. Camping, directed by Geneviève Kérouac, is first and foremost a family show. We laugh (and applaud) more than we hold our breath. So, put on your child’s heart and don’t shy away from your pleasure. Because there will be pleasure.

Already, the decor sets the tone. Two trailers from another era and a retro tent sit at the back of the stage. Here, a picnic table. There, folding chairs. In the distance, a clothesline. This colorful campsite is also made up of all kinds of happy characters, who enter and leave the stage in turns and repeatedly: a little old man and his accordion, a parcel delivery man on a bicycle, a young traveler, a couple stormy passion, a lonely widower, a little old lady and her cane (full of joyful surprises!), among others.

From the awakening of the first camper in the evening around a bar, a series of short numbers will follow: balances on camping chairs, acrobatic dance duo (duo which will return several times, in several sauces and as many rhythms), then some postures on a bike.

This is where we will hear the first “oh” and “hippelaye!” » in the room, in a good mood that will not let us go. We will even be treated to a picture of “air tennis”, a lot of juggling, although well distributed (with balls here, badminton rackets there), and a handful of more classic circus acts. Without forgetting all kinds of clownish winks, to the delight of the young audience.

Special mention to the straps number, one of the rare moments of pure emotion (read: without laughter), short, but powerful. We also fell in love with the Cyr wheel, ingeniously camouflaged, which we would have liked to see longer, it must be said.

In Group !

Moreover, beyond the solos, it is definitely the group numbers that steal the show here. And there too, we would have taken more. When they are not playing music together (with an accordion, as we have said, but also a guitar, a keyboard, a transverse flute and less classic instruments like a BBQ grill or why not a suitcase!), these The happy campers are particularly convincing in their acrobatic group scenes.

Let us highlight, in the first part, the ingenious ball game, a game unknown to the battalion, mixing animal postures, leapfrog, karate, and other antics. And what about the slow motion, performed without the slightest hesitation, in a sort of dance as improbable as it is successful.

Will follow later, after the intermission, like a final bouquet, the “pool party”, a crazy party in which all the members of our colorful troupe will participate, an excuse for a number of jumps and other high caliber dives, with the help of a seesaw judiciously transformed into a diving board. Our campers excel here. Their talent shines through, their creativity too, and their complicity, above all. And it’s our little old lady, with her final dive, who will draw the happiest applause. Hat.

A word to finish on the finale, precisely, and this clever salute, in which even the campsite porcupine participates (because there is also a porcupine, did we say that?), yet another good move from this fort nice show.

Camping

Theater at Tempo
Directed by Geneviève Kérouac

La TohuUntil December 31

7/10