International festival all in French
LES COUPS DE THéâTRE shows are from France, Belgium and Quebec, and only two are not language dependent
When the 12th biennial edition of Les Coups de Théâtre Festival international des arts jeune public is launched Wednesday at Usine C, Montreal will become, once again, an epicentre for young people’s theatre.
The first show, Ces deux là presented by the Compagnie du Sillage of France, is a hiphop dance duet about a teenager who teaches his younger brother cool moves. It’s not language-based and promises to be accessible to all.
Les Coups artistic director Rémi Boucher assures that at least one other show, a Quebec production, Luna, dans les yeux de mon père, presented by Motus, which mixes up theatre, puppetry and acrobatics, is not language-dependent either.
But apart from those two, this so-called international festival, which continues until Nov. 25, will consist entirely of French-language shows. (One of which is a Belgian-Italian co-production, a puppet show called Piccoli Sentimenti.)
The main reason for this, Boucher explained, is that this year’s festival is deliberately focused on shows that tour within “le francophonie.”
And somehow that dwindles down to France and Belgium (14 companies) plus Quebec (eight companies). Which means Les Coups is not even offering a fully comprehensive view of world francophone theatre — this year.
But just wait until 2014, Boucher said. He’s already planning a festival that will be “very close to my heart, very diverse in terms of cul- ture.” Among other things, in 2014 we’ll be seeing some selections from the Edinburgh Festival, he revealed.
“What’s happening now in Belgium and France is exceptional,” he said. And quality does count. He reminded me that in the past Les Coups has included shows from Norway, Denmark, Germany and even English Canada. (Toronto’s Red Sky visited the 2010 festival.)
Boucher has been around a long time, having directed Les Coups for 20 years. But so has yours truly. I can remember when international festivals i n Quebec (notably the nowdefunct Le Quinzaine in Quebec City, founded in 1984) could actually claim to be truly inter national. The Quinzaine’s successor, Le Carrefour Inter national, quickly became more of a “francophonie” festival. The Quebec “international” festival model has become much more mono-cultural than it once was, yet all three levels of government are still tapped by entities like the Festival TransAmériques for most of their funding, as if the focus hadn’t narrowed.
The state of the world economy has had an effect, too. Eastern European countries haven’t been able to offer touring shows at bargainbasement prices since the fall of communism.
Now, Boucher said, this drought of touring money is being felt in other cashstrapped European countries, too. Even Germany has cut back on tours. And young people’s theatre isn’t necessarily prioritized.
In the past, Le Coups organizers have reported difficulties drawing an anglophone public to English-language shows. But Boucher now says that isn’t so problematic. “We have a very diversified public,” he insisted. However, “most students do go to francophone schools.” Striking a balance, he added, isn’t easy.
Also, “children i n Quebec expect a lot,” he said. “They’ve seen a lot of shows. And so have their parents and teachers.”
Quebec children’s theatre ranks, undeniably, with the best in the world. (And that includes English-language Geordie Productions and Youtheatre.)
Asked about international trends, Boucher said there’s a whole new generation of artists at work, and they tend to blend the arts and place less emphasis on pedagogy.
About 12,000 to 15,000 spectators are expected to attend this year’s Coups de Théâtre. Upwards of 10,000 has long been the norm.
And because Les Coup deliberately coincides with CINARS, Montreal’s international exchange for the performing arts, the number of international presenters (or potential buyers) who are expected to attend is exceedingly high. (About 60 will be hosted by Les Coups, another 270 for the 15th biennial edition of CINARS, which begins Monday and continues through Sunday.) This amazing marketing opportunity will benefit francophone youth theatre shows. English-language ones, not so much, except for those that can afford to rent a booth at CINARS.
Les Coups operates on a budget of about $750,000, Boucher said, of which about 50 per cent comes from the provincial government, 20 per cent from the federal, and the rest from the city of Montreal and the box office.
There’s another rub, specific to young people’s theatre. Ticket prices have to be modest in order to entice school groups, Boucher said. And large (say 1,000-seat) venues are not an option. There’s simply no hope of break-even — ever.
Fortunately for Les Coups, the previous (Liberal) provincial government guaranteed sufficient funding to carry the festival safely through its 2014 edition.
And no PQ government is likely to tamper with this cultural dossier.
Boucher, at 52, harbours no regrets about devoting two decades of his life to Les Coups and has no plans to move on any time soon.
“This is my place,” he said. “This is the thing I wanted to do and I’m quite happy with that.”
Les Coups de Théâtre festival runs Wednesday to Nov. 25 at various venues. Details: 514-499-2929. Tickets: adults $18.40, children/students/presenters $13.80, school rate $8.05, taxes included. Box office: 514-844-2172. Visit www. coupsdetheatre.com.