Sister Act (Rock’n nonne) a stellar performance
Diverse cast to deliver French production of hit musical comedy
Denise Filiatrault, a noted “Janette” or supporter of the proposed Quebec charter on secularism, spoke from the pulpit at St. James Sister United this week, surrounded by nuns — or at least reasonable facsimiles.
The irony of the situation was impossible to ignore.
But, of course, Filiatrault wasn’t giving a sermon. She was introducing the 27-member cast of the French version of the musical Sister Act, to be known here, bilingually, as Sister Act (Rock’n nonne). She’s the director of the Festival Juste pour rire production opening mid-June.
Quebec’s queen of musical comedy said she wasn’t at all upset by the ostentatiously religious costumes, dismissing them as the mode of the 1970s.
Filiatrault is still in act of contrition mode regarding her recent onair comments about women who wear the hijab being “crazy.” Yet she remains a supporter of the charter, she said. And, as a fellow octogenarian, she’s hesitant to criticize her 89-year-old friend Janette Bertrand for sounding off last weekend about imaginary rich McGill students who might hijack private swimming pools if given the chance. “Janet is Janet,” she said. “It’s like me, I talk too fast.”
Sometimes it gets her into trouble.
When it comes to staging musicals, however, Filiatrault has no need to apologize. Year after year, she delivers hits for the festival Juste pour rire — last year’s spectacular Hairspray being a case in point.
One of the main reasons Filiatrault wanted to do Sister Act, she said, was because, like Hairspray, it requires a racially mixed cast. In addition, the lead role, which was played by Whoopi Goldberg in the movie, requires a visible minority woman with a lot of personality and a big voice.
Fortunately, Filiatrault already had someone in her Hairspray team who fit the bill. Dayane Ntibarikure and her younger sister Aiza Ntibarikure (who recently burned up the stage in Ain’t Misbehavin’ at the Segal Centre) both appeared in that show, but Aiza had the larger role.
Now it’s Dayane’s turn to shine, as Deloris, the gangster’s ex-girlfriend who witnesses a murder and seeks refuge in a convent under the witness protection program. Appalled at the state of the choir, she helps the nuns raise their singing standards. The rest is a hoot.
The fluently bilingual Ntibarikure admits that stepping into Goldberg’s shoes (not to mention those of others, like Patina Miller, who played the role on stage) is a little intimidating. But “I’m going to bring my own persona, my own attitude, my own everything to the character,” she said.
Plus she’s topping them by doing it in French.
As Filiatrault pointed it out, the show will be in “continental” French, with only a dash of Quebec slang thrown in as this version was translated for the European market.
This $3-million production is a stellar affair featuring many familiar faces, such as television personality Normand Braithwaite, who said he’s in his second musical theatre role but his first as a pimp. Also on the list of 27 cast members: France Castel, Dorothée Berryman, Linda Sorgini, and opera singer Marc Hervieux.
Sister Act (Rock’n nonne) opens June 17 at Theatre St. Denis 1. Until July 5. Call 514-845-2332 or visit www.hahaha.com
As we hit the final weekend of
the election campaign, one thing is clear: culture is not a high-priority issue — although all key political figures should be thanked for providing such rich fodder to our comedians and cartoonists. (For every gaffe, there’s a laugh, and a humorist making a buck.)
The Conseil québécois du théâtre is trying to raise the profile of culture with a campaign based on the theme “Si j’étais ministre de la Culture.”
Several prominent people (including playwright Carole Frechette and actor-director Martin Faucher) have weighed in with their fantasies of what they would do if handed the cultural portfolio.
Unfortunately, only one of the 14 texts published on the CQT website, that of dancer/choreographer Margie Gillis, is presented in English as well as French. While Gillis stresses the need to “embrace the richness of talents of all Quebecers,” others reveal a less inclusive view of culture.
Two of the key things about culture are that it brings people together and it provides continuity. Politicians come and go, but art remains and the shows will always go on.
What if I were the minister of culture? I’d encourage wider accessibility to the performing arts. How? For starters, I’d advocate daily ticket lotteries, Book of Mormon style.
For more on Si j’étais ministre de
la Culture, visit www.cqt.ca
Speaking of continuity, those ancient Greeks are still in demand. Geordie Productions is presenting two new adaptations of works by the poet Homer (8th century B.C.). The Iliad opened Friday at Centaur Theatre and The Odyssey begins May 9.
The Iliad, an epic poem that focuses on the final days of the Trojan War, is being pitched as an “antiwar” play meant to mark the 100th anniversary of the First World War. Micheline Chevrier directs.
The Odyssey will be directed by Geordie’s artistic director, Dean Patrick Fleming.
The same group of five actors (Quincy Armorer, Daniel Brochu, Susan Glover, Karl Graboshas, and Pippa Leslie) will tackle both plays.
Former Blyth Festival artistic director Peter Smith, who adapted the two plays, said his challenge was to render them interesting to people who associate the name Homer with the guy who stars in The Simpsons.
“I’ve always been attracted to Greek mythology,” he said. “It was remarkable spending the last two years with these stories. They’re incredible. They’re about us, about human beings. They’re also about loyalty and bravery and being afraid. I found it actually touched a lot of chords in my own life.”
The Iliad continues at Centaur Theatre until April 23. Tickets, $18.50, $16.50 student/senior, $14.50 children. Call 514-288-3161 or visit www.centaurtheatre.com