Theatre for Young Audiences / Translation
“Calling on the intelligence of the young: yes, sometimes we have to reinvent the rules, for the sake of justice and mutual respect. This lively cabaret illustrates this masterfully.” – Patricia Belzil, Revue Jeu
THE LITTLE CABARET:
A CELEBRATION OF DISSIDENCE
(For ages 4 to 148 and a half)
By Martin Bellemare
Translated to English by Jack Paterson
Translated from Une petite fête – Cabaret de la dissidence
Commissioned by Le Carousel
THE LITTLE STORY …
Two spirited, uninhibited characters are your hosts at a secret party that’s a bit mischievous, a bit exuberant – a party where a bit of gentle misbehaviour is easily forgiven. In fact, no grown-ups are allowed! So, well … maybe a few get the special privilege of attending, but only a few. Because here, in this Cabaret de la dissidence, it’s the children who decide.
A CABARET OF DISSIDENCE
Une petite fête is a cabaret, composed of a series of short scenes for two actors and a musician. To celebrate Le Carrousel’s 50th season, the company deploys all of its dissidence in a self-contained, immersive offering that brings 100 audience members at a time into a wonderful world that combines carnival and fairground. The small capacity, autonomous handmade lighting, original costumes, and live music joyously bring this slightly mad cabaret to life.
DON’T DO THIS, DON’T DO THAT
Every day, children have to follow rules, meet expectations, and show good behaviour. With humour and intelligence, Une petite fête – Cabaret de la dissidence leads children, without danger, into the land of gentle misbehaviour. Must we obey everything? The funny, fast-paced numbers address this question compassionately and philosophically, while celebrating freedom and spirit, respect and kindliness, and the pleasure of being together.
Une petite fête – Cabaret de la dissidence (Le Carrousel, 2024) | Photo: David Ospina
GALLERY
Une petite fête – Cabaret de la dissidence (Le Carrousel, 2024) | Photo: David Ospina
Meet the Playwright
Martin Bellemare (il) | Playwright
A graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada’s writing program, Martin Bellemare (il) was awarded the 2009 Gratien Gélinas Prize for Le Chant de Georges Boivin. La Liberté was presented at La Rubrique (Jonquière) in 2013 and in Montreal in 2015, and was scheduled to be staged in Ottawa in 2020. Maître Karim la perdrix (2018 Prix SACD de la dramaturgie francophone, awarded by the Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques) will premiere at the Théâtre des Capucins in Luxembourg in 2021. Moule Robert (CNL Scholarship, shortlisted for the 2017 Prix SACD de la dramaturgie francophone and the 2018 Michel Tremblay Prize) was produced simultaneously at La Rubrique and at the POCHE/ GVE in Geneva, then at the Théâtre de Belleville in Paris. Martin is a four-time recipient of the Aide à la création grant from the Centre national du Théâtre/ARTCENA in Paris, and two of his plays are included in the repertoire of the Comédie-Française. Two of his plays for young audiences, Un château sur le dosand Des pieds et des mains, which was first produced at the NAC, have toured in Canada and internationally. In 2019, Extraordinaire et mystérieux and Charlie et le djingpouite were produced, and Cœur minéral (Governor General’s Literary Awards, Winner 2020) premiered at the Francophonies in Limoges.
About Le Carrousel (Montreal, Canada)
Le Carrousel, founded in 1975, is a theatre company devoted essentially to creating and performing shows for young audiences. Under director Marie-Eve Huot, who has succeeded co-founders Suzanne Lebeau and Gervais Gaudreault, the company researches and develops its theatre projects in Québec and presents them throughout the world. Over fifty years, it has performed before more than a million spectators on four continents and presented shows in a variety of languages (French, English, Spanish, Italian, Mandarin, Polish, and Japanese).
Le Carrousel is a space where everything is possible. Numerous artists (authors, directors, actors, and others), driven by the urgency of speaking, can deploy their unique approaches to foster the company’s artistic project.We relentlessly pursue a quest for responsibility and meaning that impels us to create shows that are sensitive and adapted to children. This mission involves in-depth research and creative work, which requires time, space, and experimentation. The questions “What do we say to children?” and “How can we say what we want to say?” are always on our minds, pushing us to constantly renewed reflection. www.lecarrousel.net