To create the seventh show in its tribute series, Cirque du Soleil has called on director Fernand Rainville, who will be supported in the musical direction by Philippe Brault, playwright Vincent Côté and set designer and lighting designer, Yves Aucoin.
The details of this first Cirque show dedicated to a public figure (not from the musical world) were unveiled in Trois-Rivières on Tuesday by creative director Daniel Ross, who oversees this seventh opus in the series.
This announcement marks an important shift for the Cirque, which had entrusted its first five tribute shows to the duo formed by director Jean-Guy Legault and musical director Jean-Phi Goncalves. Long live the divaspresented last summer, was directed by Lydia Bouchard.
After Beau Dommage, Robert Charlebois, Luc Plamondon, Les Colocs, Les Cowboys Fringants and the Quebec divas, the Cirque is thus changing its frame by taking an interest for the first time in the career of an athlete.
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Director Fernand Rainville will rub shoulders with the world of legendary Quebec hockey player Guy Lafleur.
The director Fernand Rainville, who notably staged the shows Axel And Amaluna du Cirque, said he wanted to remember “the human being as much as the athlete” that was Guy Lafleur. “Guy was a national hero, he inspired all of Quebec, everyone has something to say about him,” he said of the hockey man who died last year. We want to be spectacular and touch people. »
Testimonials from people who have been marked, in one way or another, by Guy Lafleur, will also be integrated into the show, said Fernand Rainville.
To justify the title of the show, creative director Daniel Ross said he was moved by this “crowd chanting a first name”. “There is a closeness and a familiarity in this gesture, which means that we could be as much in a neighborhood arena as at the Forum. Guy was someone people kinda felt they knew. »
Guy! Guy! Guy! will be structured by following the three periods of a hockey game, detailed Fernand Rainville who would like to “recreate the atmosphere of a game and the energy of the game” – the first will address his childhood until his arrival with the Canadiens ; the second of his career with the CH until the announcement of his first retirement; finally, the third will evoke his return to the game (with the Rangers) until his final retirement.
The playwright Vincent Côté, who notably wrote the script for the animated short film Alex and the ghosts (as part of the 100e anniversary of the Montreal Canadiens), specified that “in each painting, we will find elements of his life”, without it being a biographical spectacle. He will also act as an assistant director. “Hockey is part of our mythology and I would like to pass on this past to the next generation. »
PHOTO FRANÇOIS ROY, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Composer, arranger and producer Philippe Brault is part of the adventure of Guy! Guy! Guy!
Prolific arranger, composer and producer Philippe Brault, for his part, indicated that he would draw on the music of the 1970s and 1980s in order to recreate the context of the era experienced by the blond demon and “also pay homage to the Quebec music. “From Gilles Valiquette to André Gagnon via the disco period, he specified, we will pick from everywhere, while creating original music. »
On the circus side, the Cirque continues its collaboration with Émilie Therrien, who led the acrobatic design of the last three shows. Among other things, she revealed that eight of the 14 tables of the show will be group numbers, a question of highlighting the team spirit. In total, 29 artists will share the stage.
“We wanted to create the acrobatic universe by drawing a parallel between the physical qualities of Guy Lafleur and those of our circus artists. Acrobatics, human performance, will really be at the heart of the show,” insisted Émilie Therrien, who integrated 13 circus disciplines into the show.
We can expect to see all the imagery of an arena, let know Fernand Rainville. From the organist to the coach, including the referee, the players, etc. There will of course be iconic objects, such as the scoreboard. The creative team took the opportunity to call on everyone to find one of their characters – a boy aged 11 to 15 who plays hockey and comes from the Trois-Rivières region.
Guy! Guy! Guy! will be presented at the Cogeco amphitheater in Trois-Rivières from July 19 to August 19.