<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Yesterday I had the privilege to be at the North American premiere of an incredibly powerful play by Quebecois dramatist Wajdi Mouawad. I could tell you about the laudatory reviews the play was blessed to receive from French critics (L?Humanité, Le Monde, Le nouvel Observateur, etc.) but who really cares about that.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3></FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">While I?m not against the respect awarded to classic plays whose enduring themes still hold their evocative powers long after their authors have departed, I must admit I enjoy the theatrical arts as a living, breathing medium where connection between author, performers and audience is grounded in the here and now of a contemporary experience of human interactions.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3></FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Forêts is the kind of rich, multi-layered artistic work that talks to me in a way few things or people can; I?m not going into details here as this is one is better experienced raw but will touch into a few interesting points.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3></FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">One of the main thematic trusts that Mouawad throws upon the viewer in this far-reaching work is the nature of identity. The weight of a past almost entirely shrouded in darkness rests on all of us, endlessly transmitted as values and attitudes by our forebears that didn?t have the energy, courage and sometimes possibility to explain what lies in the past, letting it vaguely surface as mysterious life experiences and hidden pains. The main protagonist of this ensemble cast (11 comedians, playing multiple characters) has to carry a weight that got heavier with each generation, to find closure she has to uncover and then face History/her history.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3></FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Of great interest is the way time, events, space and even generations fold and collapse on themselves, reminded the viewer of a Mobius ring that defies the linearity that our logic demands. This is especially impressive to behold in a play, where the mise en scène is so masterfully handled that multiple events happening at different times can be simultaneously displayed on stage, thus heightening our awareness of the repetitive nature of tragedy and the constant that is human emotion.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3></FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">These two points only touch the surface of what is to be gained here; I have yet to fully digest the bravado performance of the actors and the strength of this wonderful text.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3></FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">The play is presented at L?Espace Go (on St-Laurent) until the 10<SUP>th</SUP> of February. I urge all Montrealers to go see it, and please don?t complain about the lack of accessibility of theatre, we?re talking about $28 for a 4 hours play.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3></FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">While I?m not against the respect awarded to classic plays whose enduring themes still hold their evocative powers long after their authors have departed, I must admit I enjoy the theatrical arts as a living, breathing medium where connection between author, performers and audience is grounded in the here and now of a contemporary experience of human interactions.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3></FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Forêts is the kind of rich, multi-layered artistic work that talks to me in a way few things or people can; I?m not going into details here as this is one is better experienced raw but will touch into a few interesting points.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3></FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">One of the main thematic trusts that Mouawad throws upon the viewer in this far-reaching work is the nature of identity. The weight of a past almost entirely shrouded in darkness rests on all of us, endlessly transmitted as values and attitudes by our forebears that didn?t have the energy, courage and sometimes possibility to explain what lies in the past, letting it vaguely surface as mysterious life experiences and hidden pains. The main protagonist of this ensemble cast (11 comedians, playing multiple characters) has to carry a weight that got heavier with each generation, to find closure she has to uncover and then face History/her history.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3></FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Of great interest is the way time, events, space and even generations fold and collapse on themselves, reminded the viewer of a Mobius ring that defies the linearity that our logic demands. This is especially impressive to behold in a play, where the mise en scène is so masterfully handled that multiple events happening at different times can be simultaneously displayed on stage, thus heightening our awareness of the repetitive nature of tragedy and the constant that is human emotion.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3></FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">These two points only touch the surface of what is to be gained here; I have yet to fully digest the bravado performance of the actors and the strength of this wonderful text.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3></FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">The play is presented at L?Espace Go (on St-Laurent) until the 10<SUP>th</SUP> of February. I urge all Montrealers to go see it, and please don?t complain about the lack of accessibility of theatre, we?re talking about $28 for a 4 hours play.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
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