Bouge de là’s Bedtime! will expand young audience’s
minds at Horizon Stage on November 7
Renowned for being highly contemporary, Montreal dance troupe Bouge de là combines movement with theatrics and multimedia effects to create memorable performances for young audiences. Their newest production, Bedtime!, is an energetic piece that centers around the concept of a child’s bed as a place for discovery, emotion, imagination, and transformation. They can be cozy places to dream or platforms for bouncing and playing on. With a transforming bed at the very center of the stage, the troupe explores four stages of childhood, from infancy to adolescence. Dream, discover, and explore with Bouge de là’s Bedtime! - the first show in Horizon Stage’s 2015/16 Family Matinee Series - on Saturday, November 7.
In tableau one, a young child grows and develops in their crib. It is a private, snug, and cozy place where the baby can push with their hands, roll over, crawl, and eventually walk upright. The child discovers their environment through touch, sound, and sight. The dancers delve into their inner-infants, explore, re-learn, and discover the world anew.
In the second tableau, a 4-year-old is sent to her room where her anger explodes and she damages a favourite toy. After the storm she discovers how to calm her emotions and regain her equilibrium. Onstage she is surrounded by three dancers who echo her emotions and amplify her movements.
Alone in his bedroom a bored 8-year-old boy dreams of superheroes. His bed becomes his camp, a territory to be defended, and a battle ground. This surrealist tableau pays veiled tribute to comic books and the dancers act out the incredible situations imagined by the boy – being kidnapped, escaping, fighting evildoers, facing danger, and turning into a Transformer.
The teenage years are full of noise, disorder, change, contradiction, and rebellion against the established order. The bed becomes a place for jumping, pillow fights and partying until it’s time to leave childhood and the family home behind. The dance in this tableau is more rock ‘n roll. The structure of the bed unfolds and is dismantled, becoming a percussion instrument and a ladder leading to the adult world.
Eagerly drawing upon a variety of artistic disciplines - including dance, theater, multimedia, visual art, children’s literature, and shadow theatre - choreographer and artistic director Hélène Langevin has created a multidisciplinary experience that is unforgettable and unique. Previous performances by Hélène and Bouge de là at Horizon Stage include Like the 5 Fingers on your Hand (2003) and The Studio (2011).
So wear your pajamas, cuddle up in your theatre seat, and get ready for Bedtime! Tickets may be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave) or by phone at 780-962-8995 or 1-888-655-9090, and online through ticketpro.ca.
Horizon Stage’s 2015/16 Family Matinee Series consists of three shows - Bouge de là: Bedtime! (Nov. 7), Fred Penner (Jan. 16) and DuffleBag Theatre: Snow White (April 9). Recommended for children aged 4 - 12, these 2 p.m. performances are approximately one hour long and include an hour of free pre-show activities in the lobby. In an effort to make family programming more affordable, Three-Show Packages (one ticket to each matinee) have been reduced in price to $30 - and single tickets are now just $12, regardless of age.
Photo Credits: Suzane O'Neill
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