Posted at 8:00 a.m.
Writing
After trying for a year to write a story “with a beginning and an end” – an atrocity that looked like bad summer theater, according to Simon Lacroix – the Project Bocal band realized the obvious . She had gotten lost along the way.
To find their way (and their essence), the three playwrights and actors decided to “let go loose”, says Sonia Cordeau. Result: they have developed an offbeat concept that is more like them.
So how to describe show time ?
In the room there are cats, a fork, a turkey, a river and a calf bite.
Simon Lacroix
Raphaëlle Lalande tries another description: “It’s the story of Sonia, Simon and Raphaëlle who put on a show on the Duceppe stage. Sounds boring like that, I know. »
But with Projet Bocal, nothing is ever as it seems and the humor arrives at the most absurd moments and in the strangest clothes. And show time is no exception. “Basically, it’s a creation that mocks large-scale shows,” says Sonia Cordeau. We talk about sponsors’ money, we also laugh at the Théâtre Duceppe. We are drooling. »
And no one is spared. “Our characters are so harmless and in the field; we can afford it, ”believes Raphaëlle Lalande.
Humor
Raphaëlle Lalande and Simon Lacroix have known each other since childhood: they did theater together in Gatineau at the age of 9! But it was during their studies at the Conservatory that they met Sonia Cordeau and that the three actors really became friends. The glue of their collaboration, which has spanned more than 10 years: a “collusion of humour”, which some might call absurd humour. ” In show time, we are not in the absurd, however, believes Sonia Cordeau. We are more in the exploded, the wacky. »
She continues: “With us, there is no need to dig to find the character’s experience. It’s the rhythm that counts, as in any comedy. And what is special with show time, is that there are several rhythms, several musicalities to be found. »
“We want people to think that the show is limited to a single universe, when it’s quite the opposite, explains Raphaëlle Lalande. This comedy is built on surprises. »
PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, THE PRESS
Raphaëlle Lalande, Simon Lacroix and Sonia Cordeau
Agreements
“One of our greatest pleasures is to install theatrical conventions to better shatter them and thwart the spectator. When the latter thinks he has understood everything, everything is turned upside down,” says Simon Lacroix.
It’s not yesterday that the band of Projet Bocal triturates, even disfigures, theatrical conventions. Already, at the Conservatory, the three friends have made it their trademark. “With the diction and tragedy lessons, there was everything we needed to give us a taste for fooling around with the theatre! adds Simon Lacroix.
Arts and crafts
“In the play, we integrated a scene with cats: it’s a little dream that we wanted to realize and it’s really enjoyable”, explains Sonia Cordeau, without wanting to say more, except this: “We took advantage of the means offered by Duceppe to pursue certain ideas that we couldn’t have elsewhere. » Think about the sometimes dubious special effects. And to a cast of 10 actors, which is not in the habits of the Bocal Project, especially since for the first time, the trio also rages at the staging.
Everyone quickly understood the level of our text and embarked on our universe.
Raphaelle Lalande
Projet Bocal also called on high-level designers, including Odile Gamache for the scenography and Elen Ewing for the costumes. “It’s crazy to see all these artists put themselves totally at the service of our text at very nonno moments, says Sonia Cordeau. It must be said that we can be very precise in our nonsense. »
Simon Lacroix concludes: “Despite the means made available to us by Duceppe, we wanted to remain skewered and keep this artisanal side put forward in our other creations. »
In short, those who already know them will be on familiar ground. And the others may well be conquered.
Showtime, a big playfrom November 16 to December 17 at Duceppe.