Co-Creations and Group Pieces

 

La fête des Morts

MOMENTUM Production

2002-2004

Nathalie Claude joins forces with her Momentum’s accomplice and friend Céline Bonnier, to co-create a theatrical “in situ” show. Questionning Death, the universal theme, ever so mysterious for all of us, whoever we are.

Inspired by the Mexican tradition of the “Dia de los Muertos” they constructed a colorful and poetic ritual, a theatrical happening inside the beauty of the Autumnal season. Creating and performing the show in a real cemetery, lit by candle light, flashlights and moonlight, they elaborated their visual poem between decrepit tombstones and ancestral trees. Under the discretion of rain, wind, and under the stars, 11 actor-creators, delicatley played the cast of the living-dead.

A special thank you to Danielle Roy who initiated the idea.

“In this production Momentum uses the service of a guide who proposes the ultimate visit: to the after life. Yolanda is the guide that brings you, privileged visitors, to the center of a cemetery. Lifting the veil that separates the world of the living and the dead, she will indicate the best spots among the tombstones where you can discretely observe the inhabitants of this underworld. Theatrical happening at nightfall, revealing a sumptuous natural set design, La Fête des Morts speaks poetically about death, time, eternity, memory, our beloved ones, and our imminent passage…” (From Momentum’s press release)

Creation and direction: : Céline Bonnier and Nathalie Claude
Visual aspect: Louis Hudon
Production Director: Colette Drouin
Stage managers: Guillaume Cyr and Annie Lespérance

With the Creator-Performers: Céline Bonnier, Nathalie Claude, Stéphane Demers, Catherine De Sève, Chantal Dumoulin, Renée Houle, Peter James, Gullermina Kerwin, Denis Lavalou, Danielle Lecourtois, Suzanne Lemoine, Leni Parker, Marcel Pomerlo and Blas Villalpando.

Presented from October 23 to November 3, 2002in a cemetery in Montreal.

From May 19 to 22, 2004Carrefour International de théâtre, in a cemetery in Quebec.

From October 14 to 31, 2004in a cemetery in Montreal.

Nominated at the Gala des Masques 2004:
Best Production Montreal/Director/Costumes/Lights/and Special contribution, accessories.
Winner Special contribution.

Photos © Rolline Laporte

Photos: Private Collection