A Preview of Spring!

Montreal, Thursday, February 10, 2022 – The joint artistic directors of Festival TransAmériques, Martine Dennewald and Jessie Mill, today unveiled five dance and theatre shows as a preview of the FTA’s 16th edition, expressing their delight and confidence in the upcoming event, which will be held in Montreal from May 25 to June 9, 2022. The first edition under the co-directors’ leadership marks the return of a full lineup of international shows in dialogue with Quebec and Canadian works. Eager to reconnect with audiences in search of unique experiences, the FTA will take place both in theatres and outdoor sites, presenting a diverse range of artistic visions, forms and geographies. [video] [/video]

An African Epic Opening the FTA

Re:Incarnation, by Nigerian choreographer Qudus Onikeku, draws on the richness of Yoruba culture with two musicians and ten dancers propelled by the groove of Lagos. In a show infused bu electrical vibes, Onikeku conveys a cyclical conception of the world, a vision of space-time where life, death, and rebirth go hand in hand. Fanciful and joyous, the reincarnation he proposes takes the form of a celebration attended by fabulous and mythical creatures. In this lavish spectacle, the creativity of virtuoso young performers opens up a whole new perspective on dance. Presented by La Presse

A Stunning Historiographical Investigation of Resistance

An expert in the art of moving through time, Adeline Rosenstein dissects the mechanisms of political resistance and those of oppression, seeking a playful means of representing them on stage. From Belgium to the Congo, from France to Algeria, this brilliant documentary project, located at the intersection of theatre and social science, embraces historical complexity with plenty of humour. In Laboratoire poison, ten remarkable actresses and actors portray facts—resistance, collaboration, oppression, betrayal, vengeance—in the most unlikely ways. A luminous, mischievous show that sharpens the gaze and deconstructs received ideas.

An Oratorio for Nine Performers of African Descent

The play M’appelle Mohamed Ali by the Congolese writer Dieudonné Niangouna links Africa to America through the fists of American boxing icon Muhammad Ali in a composite portrait of an African theatre actor and the legendary boxer, both tireless champions of human dignity. The text is staged by Théâtre de La Sentinelle (Tatiana Zinga Botao, Lyndz Dantiste, and Philippe Racine), the first Quebec company whose mission is to offer leading roles to performers from racialized communities. La Sentinelle here aims to revolutionize our theatre by assembling an exceptional cast of black actors who’re ready to roll with the punches. Copresented by Théâtre de Quat’Sous

A Subversive Parade Deconstructing Stereotypes

Corrosive and unsettling, Make Banana Cry is the result of the uniquecollaboration between Canadian choreographers and dancers Andrew Tay and Stephen Thompson and visual artist Dominique Pétrin. In the setting of a truly fake museum exhibition, a troupe of performers parades across the stage in a distorted fashion show that presents a succession of politically charged bodies, ready to unsettle the occidental gaze. Making skillful use of the stage’s transformative power, the artists interrogate the transmission of cultural identity and shatter spectators’ fantasies. A critical and flamboyant theatrical performance.

A Giant Aquarium at the Heart of Quartier des spectacles

Installed in a public square, Holoscenes, a monumental work by the American artist Lars Jan, reveals the connection between human activity, rising sea levels, and their repercussions on daily life. A veritable living sculpture, the installation is active five hours a day, offering vibrant, poetic tableaux enacted by performers moving underwater. Holoscenes evokes the impact of climate change by shifting the scale of the catastrophe. This free show has inspired FTA to organise a day of dialogue between the arts and science around the topic of water, with discussions, debates and other activities featuring water experts, activists and artists. Presented with the support of Cole Foundation + Partenariat du Quartier des spectacles

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