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GNOSIS, featuring Akram
Khan PHOTO Valérie Simmons
contemporary dances feature in the
repertories of top-flight companies
around the globe, but nothing is like
seeing his distinctive technique on his
own troupe—all guts and glory, especially
the women. To see another worldclass
ensemble, this time a bastion of
Russian classicism, the 150- year-old
Kiev Ballet performs Igor Zelensky’s
Swan Lake (Mar. 8 to 11) at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier.
Its famed school in the
Ukraine has produced some of the
biggest ballet stars on the planet. Prefer
another vision (sans tutus) of women
dancing? Belgium-based Canadian
dancer and choreographer Lise Vachon
will visit Tangente at Mo nument-
National with powerhouse dan cer Lisbeth
Gruwez to present Sliding (Mar. 8
to 11), a brand-new duet of shifting silhouettes
in an Edward Hopper-esque
universe. And at the end of the month
at Agora de la danse, don’t miss a second
chance to see the latest piece by
Canada’s leading contemporary choreographer
Crystal Pite, with her Frankfurt-based
company Kidd Pivot. First
presented in Montreal at last summer’s
FTA, The You Show (Mar. 21 to 24) is a
four-part evening-length work for eight
superhuman dancers tackling epic
human themes.
TF
Agora de la danse presents Orlando,
the newest work of choreographer Deborah
Dunn, performed by members of
Trial and Eros (Mar. 14 to 17). Seven
dancers rehearse themes of androgyny
and metamorphosis in this absorbing,
surreal piece based on the Virginia
Woolf novel.
HR
The final snowstorm in April will
likely take place at Usine C: An appearance
by Tokyo-based dancer, choreographer
and multimedia artist Hiroaki
Umeda, as part of the sixth edition of
the Festival Temps d’Images. A major
player of the Japanese avant-garde,
Umeda will present the North American
premiere of his acclaimed Holistic
Strata (Apr. 19 to 21), a hyperkinetic,
street style-inflected solo set against
mind-warping projections of blustering
black and white static.
TF
ΩTheatre
ROBIN HOOD REDUX
by JAMES GARTLER
The winter months typically stir up feelings of
isolation, financial frustrations, memories of
lost loves and dreams of warmer nights. How fitting,
then, that Montreal playhouses will bring
these sentiments to life all across town in the
coming months, offering a variety of productions
aimed at exploring the struggles of the
human heart, or simply shaking audiences out
of their frozen funk.
Robin Hood Redux: There Will Be Tights is
likely to fall into the latter category. This Purple
Doorknob Production promises to turn the legend
of the Prince of Thieves on its ear by reversing
the genders of the main characters. Evil
Prince John becomes Princess Eileen, Maid
Marian becomes Lord Marion, and even Robin
himself becomes a herself. To find out if that
translates into comedic gold, pay a visit to Mainline
theatre (Nov. 30 to Dec. 3).
Those seeking a reason to get up and dance
will rejoice at the return of Mamma Mia! in the
New Year. The ABBA-powered Broadway musical
will take over Place-des-Arts for an eightperformance
run (Jan. 3 to 8). Though most
have likely seen the Meryl Streep film version
by now, the show remains popular thanks to its
ability to create a party atmosphere among the
attendees. With classic hits like “Dancing
Queen,” “Chiquitita” and “Winner Takes It All”
woven into the plot, it’s easy to see why.
MAMMA MIA!
ARTS THIS WINTER
Fans of Calgary-born playwright/actor/director
Morris Panych are in for a run of good
luck. His newest work, In Absentia, will make
its world premiere at the Centaur Theatre (Jan.
31 to March 4). The play follows Colette, a
woman whose spirit has been crippled since the
kidnapping of her husband, Tom, a year prior,
while on a business trip in Columbia. Holed up
in their cottage, she catches sight of a young
man who bears a strange resemblance to Tom
and reaches out, offering him some escape from
the cold. With young
up-and-comer Jade
Hassouné in the cast,
along with Paul Hopkins
(Segal’s The Play’s
the Thing), this one is
de finitely a must-see.
Those hoping to get a
taste of Panych’s more
signature comedic GUY SPRUNG
style, meanwhile, will
be happy to hear that Vigil is being staged by the
Segal Centre (March 11 to April 1). Audiences
in London, Paris and across Canada have enjoyed
this tale of a bank employee who travels
to be with his Aunt when she claims she’s on her
last breath.
For a look at an industry
in a similar situation,
make a note of
Ars Poetica, opening at
Infinitheatre (Jan. 17 to
Feb. 12). This new
comedy by local writer
Arthur Holden follows
the struggles of a Montreal
literary magazine
attempting to stay a -
float with the help of a
lawyer, of all things.
LYNN NOTTAGE
Originally workshopped as part of Infinitheatre’s
series of public readings The Pipeline, Ars
is directed by Guy Sprung.
Centaur Theatre will present Pierre de Marivaux’s
classic play The Game of Love and
Chance, adapted and translated by Nicolas Billon
(March 6 to April 1). First staged in 1730, this romantic
comedy sees an upper-class girl switch
places with her maid before meeting the boy her
father would like her to marry. As it turns out,
her suitor has also disguised himself as his chauffeur,
in an attempt to get a more honest look at
her personality. With servants and masters
swapping roles, the resulting hyjinks force both
couples to question the notions of social class, a
theme also relevant in Intimate Apparel, which
runs at the Centaur (March 27 to April 29). Apparel
tells the story of African-American seamstress
Esther, whose attempts to save money
while serving the ladies of New York’s high society
circles in 1905 unexpectedly lead to a marriage
proposal and a chance at a better life. With
a script by Pulitzer Prize-winner Lynn Nottage, a
six-person cast featuring local talent Lucinda
Davis and a ragtime soundtrack to boot, this one
sounds like an ideal way to bid farewell to the
winter woes and welcome in spring.
LSM
DECEMBER 2011 / JANUARY 2012 51