If customers showed up at La Licorne to laugh and be cleverly entertained, they will surely leave satisfied with what author Simon Boudreault had to sell with comedy. I am a product.
In this piece, the one who also ensures the staging wants to shed light on our relationship to the image which pushes us towards self-marketing and consumption, as well as the construction of perceptions that distort our gaze on the other. To achieve this, he presents the story of Jihane, a Moroccan woman who is struggling to find a job and who then decides to hide herself in order to better respond to the vision that ethnic Quebecers have of diversity.
The one played by Houda Rihani is finally hired in a box of marketing led by Jeff, a cheerful verbotor which Eric Bernier brings to life. They are surrounded at work by two colleagues, a woman who suffers the denigration of the boss (Catherine Ruel) and a man who gets pawned for a promotion (Alexandre Daneau).
Heartbroken, the leader will seek Jihane’s advice in order to win back his entrepreneurial ex-lover (Louis-Olivier Mauffette) by relying on sales techniques.
Well paced, this production is characterized by a varied humor that appeals to the audience. After a difficult start that clashes with the rest, she quickly finds her way to go, in particular thanks to the energy deployed by Eric Bernier. The sense of reply is there, as are the actors who offer a performance to the height of what the client demands.
A relevant veil
It is the discussions on the meaning of the veil and the perceptions it engenders that give rise to the most striking reflections. Blending perfectly into the story, this sensitive theme is approached with great skill. For example, Jihane’s defense of the veil as a sign of freedom, who wouldn’t want to wear it, hits the nail on the head.
On the other hand, certain outbursts, in particular on the criticism of consumerism, sometimes fall like a hair on the soup. It is also ironic that a show that denounces the prejudices linked to certain clichés presents characters who are themselves caricatures. The bitch and unfiltered homosexual boss, as well as the self-righteous entrepreneur are the best examples.
Obviously, the goal of comedy is not to be subtle. And since the objective of making people laugh by approaching social phenomena has been achieved, Simon Boudreault can thus preserve the image of an author who produces appreciated creations.
I am a product is presented until December 18 at La Licorne.