Little Red Riding Hood's funeral at the NAC -- Joël da Silva opens the doors of his Magasin des Mystères for the last time
October 28, 2003 -
"Some people sprinkle a little Parmesan on their spaghetti, or a little lemon juice
on their broccoli. I like to sprinkle words. I always have one on the tip of my tongue.
"Chiquenaude,” for example, or "escarbille,” or… well… a more colourful word!”
Joël da Silva, writer
Ottawa, Ontario -- On Saturday, November 1 at 13:30 and Sunday, November 2 at 13:30 and 15:30, the National Arts Centre (NAC) French Theatre invites little clowns, little monsters, little witches and little mischief-makers of every kind to celebrate Hallowe'en in suitably gloomy fashion. Come in out of the cold rain (if my friend the weatherman is right) and join us in the NAC Studio as Joël da Silva, storyteller extraordinaire, and pianist Jean-Luc Éthier present their unique, their sophisticated, their fascinating cabaret of words crossed and double-crossed: Le Magasin des Mystères (nouvelle administration).
It's a musical with no dead air, a set of ten little tales as chilling as they are thrilling, a melody of words and music for ages 7 to 107. Presented in several ghost towns since 2000, this intimate and playful show with a music-hall flair has enchanted audiences and critics alike with its boldness and precision. The NAC is proud to open its doors to Magasin des Mystères (nouvelle administration)… whose doors are definitely about to close. Last chance to hear the story of Miss Eugénie Lepage, page-turner for Gaston the pianist, who plays Mozart at Place des Arts; or the story of the conveyancer who escorts Little Red Riding Hood's funeral procession to the cemetery. Don't wait to turn into a pumpkin: come and share laughs and chills, jokes and thrills!
No eating candies in the theatre
The multicoloured lights have something of a county fair about them; there's a big red grand piano played by a most unusual pianist—a friendly "skellington”. And hidden inside the piano are all kinds of things you might need to create a truly bizzaaaaarre little world. And in front of, behind, on top of and under the piano is a very peculiar storyteller who'll intrigue you with his charm and charm you with intrigue... A storyteller who, in ten quick tales, provokes spine-tingling little shivers that make for big enjoyment.
Here are the titles of the ten absurd little tales: 1. Cosmogonie familiale ("Family cosmogony”); 2. Par un soir d'hiver, passé neuf heures ("One winter night, after nine o'clock”); 3. Le Bonbon ("The Candy”); 4. Le Secret des épinettes ("The secret of the spruce trees”); 5. À l'enterrement du Petit Chaperon rouge ("At Little Red Riding Hood's funeral”); 6. Calcul (malade) mental ("Mental arithmetic/mental illness”); 7. La Penseuse et le Meurtrier ("The thoughtful girl and the murderer”); 8. Le Bébé à deux bouches ("The baby with two mouths”); 9. La Petite Fille dans le tableau ("The little girl in the painting”);and 10. Le Rendez-vous ("The meeting”).
"These tasty little tales don't quite offer a moral or even a lesson "mystery” means
"hidden truth” in Latin they emphasize the sheer pleasure of language.”
Michel Bélair, Le Devoir
Produced by Théâtre Magasin
in coproduction with Les Coups de Théâtre
and in partnership with the Théâtre l'Arrière-Scène
Le Magasin des Mystères (nouvelle administration)
Written, composed and performed by Joël da Silva / Directed by Marie-Josée Plouffe
Musical arrangements by Joël da Silva and Jean-Luc Éthier
Piano accompaniment by Jean-Luc Éthier / Lighting by Éric Gendron
Set pieces by Marc-André Coulombe
November 1 at 13:30 / November 2 at 13:30 and 15:30
in the NAC Studio
Tickets $11 (children and adults)
Available in person at the NAC Box Office, through Ticketmaster, (613) 755-1111,
or online at www.nac-cna.ca.
What's lurking in the wings of Théâtre Magasin
Artistic Director Joël da Silva is a leading figure in theatre for young audiences. A writer, performer, director and musician, he has spent over 15 years indulging his passion for exploring the mischievous links between words, music and performance. Drawing freely on the rich, timeless source material of myth and fairy tale, he crafts strikingly original, lyrical stories. Though his favourite themes include cruelty, fear and solitude, they are always leavened by his very particular sense of humour. His plays have been produced by such acclaimed companies as the Théâtre de Quartier (La Nuit blanche de Barbe-bleue, Le Pain de la bouche), the Théâtre de l'Avant-Pays (Château sans roi, Les Gardiens du feu, and most recently À nous deux !), and the Moulin à Musique (La Maîtresse rouge, L'Aube).
Joël da Silva founded the Théâtre Magasin in 1999 — its name comes from Magasin des Mystères (nouvelle administration — as a creative centre where he could give rein to his artistic instincts and explore the different stages of the creative process, from writing to stage directing. In his theatre, da Silva creates a meeting place for young people and art that is unfettered by the usual mutual psycho-educational exchanges or by the concerns of an unimaginative realism. For him, theatre for young audiences must return to fundamental theatrical principles: it's not about churning out a "cultural product,” it's about creating an artistic "work.”
Théâtre Magasin's most recent productions include Émile et Angèle, correspondance, co-written by Joël da Silva and Françoise Pillet, co-produced by Françoise Pillet et cie (France) and directed by Sylviane Fortuny. The play was premiered at the Coups de Théâtre festival in the fall of 2002, and won the Théâtre l'Arrière Scène (Belœil) "Audience Choice” Award for Best Production of the 20022003 season. Over the course of the coming season, Émile et Angèle, correspondance will play at several theatres in France.
The National Arts Centre French Theatre gratefully acknowledges the support of CIMF Rock Détente.
