100 % Montréal
In 2017, FTA to pay tribute to Montrealers with a show presented in association with the Société des célébrations du 375e anniversaire de Montréal
Montreal, 8 June 2016 – For the opening performance of the 11th edition of the Festival TransAmériques (FTA) in 2017, the citizens of Montreal will be featured as never before in the show 100 % Montréal, to be presented for four nights from May 25 to 28, 2017 at Théâtre Jean Duceppe in Place des Arts. After Berlin, Amsterdam, Melbourne, London, Brussels, Paris, Tokyo and São Paulo, Montreal will join the club of some 25 fascinating cites in the world to have been honoured with their own versions of 100 % by the German company Rimini Protokoll.
“What is the character, the composition of Montreal in the here and now? What constitutes the Montreal identity today? Who are the current inhabitants of this city founded in 1642? Where do they come from? What do they believe in? With 100 % Montréal, the FTA will be scrutinizing the DNA of Montrealers.” – Martin Faucher, Artistic director, FTA
“The 100 % Montréal project is a great example of our desire to build bridges and to celebrate the vigour and verve of our city,” noted Serge Postigo, assistant director of Montreal’s 375th anniversary celebrations. “Created especially for the occasion, this documentary theatre performance will certainly be a major attraction of the 2017 FTA program. This ambitious, people-centred survey will express Montreal’s DNA through 100 citizens, making for a very memorable performance,” he concluded.
“A dynamic exchange between Germany and Canada is taking shape here. For the past ten years, the FTA programs have generated a strong emotional response from Montrealers by presenting rich, original works of theatre and dance. With 100% Montréal I’m convinced that we will be very well served,” stated Montreal mayor Denis Coderre.
100 % Montréal
A major player in the field of documentary theatre, the German collective Rimini Protokoll will present 100 % Montréal, a made-to-measure piece for Montreal’s 375th anniversary celebrations, a work that will paint a dynamic demographic portrait of Montreal, giving the city a very human face. Onstage, 100 citizens will reflect the population of Montreal. Representing “objective” data about the city, they will answer myriad political, social and personal questions and will “physically” take a position onstage, forming ephemeral snapshots of public opinion. These statistics become flesh will sketch a playful, spectacular and subtle portrayal of a culturally complex big city, a portrait that goes beyond clichés.
The show will take shape over a period of nine months, from a documented study of Montreal’s demographics to the onstage presentation by way of the meticulous recruitment of 100 citizen participants.
Rimini Protokoll
Based in Berlin, Rimini Protokoll draws its theatre themes from everyday life. Its projects are concocted from precise research that is developed on the basis of existing situations in the original milieu. For its stagings, the collective always works with amateurs. They are considered to be “specialists”, individuals encountered during the research who then portray themselves in the performance. Reality presented onstage finds poignant expression in the work of Rimini Protokoll, as seen for example in Mnemopark, presented at the FTA in 2007.
The FTA
An international festival of contemporary theatre and dance, the Festival TransAmériques combines various artistic disciplines and trends. The FTA gives voice to the effervescence of contemporary art, as expressed by choreographers, writers and stage directors. Its guiding principle is to present strong, exciting works, irrespective of themes or geography. Multilingual, hybrid and festive, the FTA reflects the rhythms and energy of its home base of Montreal.
Montreal’s 375th Anniversary Celebrations
The Société des célébrations du 375e anniversaire de Montréal is a non-profit organization whose mission is to organize the festivities and the social and economic contributions that will mark the 375th anniversary of the city of Montreal in 2017. Drawing on and highlighting local expertise, it acts as a catalyst, mobilizing the community, developing a financing strategy, rigorously administrating all monies raised, drafting a program of outstanding activities and promoting the events. Driven by a desire to create bridges, it counts on the support of its board of directors, a council of governors and several committees. The Société receives financial assistance from the City of Montreal and the government of Quebec, and also from the group of corporations and institutions known as the 10 Grandes Montréalaises.
100 % Montréal
Opening show of the 11th edition of the Festival TransAmériques
From May 25 to 28, 2017 at Théâtre Jean-Duceppe of Place des Arts
Presented by BMO Financial Group
Concept and direction Helgard Haug + Stefan Kaegi + Daniel Wetzel
Set design Marc Jungreithmeier + Marscha Mazur
Press relations
Natalie Dion
514 266 3466
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375MTL Source
Isabelle Pelletier
514 238 4178
For more information about Montreal’s 375th anniversary celebrations
375mtl.com
