Derrière Le Rideau, Il Fait Peut-Etre Nuit

Dance Review – Jun, 2, 11

Derrière Le Rideau, Il Fait Peut-Etre Nuit
Composer Martin Messier and Choreographer Anne Thériault (Montreal)
Festival TransAmériques
Société des Arts Technologiques
Montreal
May 27 and 28, 2011
Festival TransAmériques – Composer Martin Messier and Choreographer Anne Thériault (Montreal)/Derrière Le Rideau, Il Fait Peut-Etre Nuit

At Montreal’s Festival TransAmériques, Quebec artists are given pride of place.

Derrière Le Rideau, Il Fait Peut-Etre Nuit is an unpredictable and wry solo show that is part of a series of dances with various choreographers creating work with composer Martin Messier. The rough translation is Behind the Curtain, Perhaps Lurks Harm.

Choreographer Anne Thériault begins by putting on a blindfold which puts her literally in the dark. She then drapes herself in sound cables that make her appear totally tied up.

Everything on the stage is electrified, and the noises that Thériault makes freeing herself are accompanied by Messier’s cacophonous surround-sound. The murky light comes only from a flashlight.

The heart of the piece has Thériault piercing a neon light tube with a series of large knives. In the surprise ending, she murders a member of the audience.

The show was entertaining, if not particularly original. Electrifying sets and people has been around for a long time.

Festival TransAmériques continues in Montreal until Jun. 11.