Du 24 octobre au 11 novembre 2007

Crossroads

Mise en scène de Anna Fuerstenberg
Avec Barbara Lewis

Après le grand succès de la pièce au cours du Festival Fringe (2006) Les Productions SHEBA est fière de présenter CROSSROADS -  un pèlerinage musical retracant les changements de cap les plus dramatiques de l’existence individuelle et explore les effets émotionels, personnels et publiques résultants des décisions cruciales prises pendant ces périodes charnières de la vie.

Barbara Lewis, auteur de la pièce fait usage de ses propres histoires comme matière première au spectacle, ses chansons et narrations nous livrent un message universel.

La musique couvre un panoplie de genres allant de l’opera au jazz, de la musique de Broadway tout en passant par des ballades originales. Le ton que prend l’oeuvre s’étend de l’hilaritè aigue aux transports émotifs enclacants. La narration passe de la bouffonnerie au drame réaliste.

Dans CROSSROADS, Barbara Lewis incarne une conteuse chantante qui joue différents personnages durant la pièce. Un etre clown/absurde ainsi qu’une séductrice suffocanteaux succès mal intentionnés.

Pianiste, accompagnatrice, directrice musicale: Holly Arsenault
Scénographie: Susan Dubrofsky
Costumes: Kerri Strobl

Productions SHEBA

Théâtre Centaur
453, St-François-Xavier
Billetterie : 514-288-3161

 

 

review by Geneviève Germain

First presented at the Fringe Festival in 2006, one-woman show Crossroads is back this Fall at Centaur Theatre with playwright, singer and performer Barbara Lewis. Exploring different events of her life through music and impersonations, Barbara Lewis delivers a very personal and sincere presentation. We discover her opera-singing debut, her experiences with auditions and agents, her career move as a teacher as well as her life-long lover Nicholas and his passing away.

Talking openly about her thoughts and doubts, Barbara Lewis displays a great amount of sensitivity and gentleness. She shows off her great singing talent in numerous styles, her voice coming out as very clear and soothing. However, her song choices being mostly soft and calm, feeling almost like lullabies, don’t always serve the presentation well as they tend to render a dozing off feeling rather than invigorate the attention towards matters of the play.

Fortunately, humour is used at times to highlight some anecdotes, bringing more tempo to the play. We enjoy seeing Barbara Lewis mimic a New York agent who suavely and obstinately tries to win her trust by promising great success under her good care. Also, references to « the voice » as being a whole entity inside a singer come out as very amusing.

Although a great amount of effort seems to have been made towards the singing part of the play, it is during Barbara Lewis’ reminiscent monologues that she strikes as a mature and inspired woman, especially when she talks about Nicholas. As far as storytelling goes, the play runs smooth, but choices of themes seem at times uneven and awkward. Passing from leisure time spent with racoons in Vermont to the harsh life in New York City, we are left wondering what is the real connection behind these events, aside from the fact they all happened during one’s life.

A special comment should be made for on-stage pianist Holly Arsenault who wonderfully accompanies actress and singer Barbara Lewis, always being on cue and playing with apparent pleasure.

While performance by Barbara Lewis is good and honest, Crossroads is a show that brings some nice moments to the stage, but it fails to deliver more.

28-10-2007