45 years after the end of its broadcast on Télé-Métropole, “Symphorien” returns to the Théâtre du Vieux-Terrebonne until August 14th, funnier than ever.
Once the curtain rises, viewers will be surprised to find an environment similar to that of the mythical TV series. The front door adorned with colored stained glass windows, the staircase to the bedrooms, the small round table in the middle of the hallway and the living room with sink are identical. You feel transported back to the late 1970s.
The new version, written by Pierre Huet and Louis Saia, successfully uses the codes installed by the original author Marcel Gamache and is intended as the 270th installment of the saga.
MARIO BEAUREGARD/QMI AGENCY
On stage we find the colorful characters who populated the house of Madame Sylvain (Michelle Labonté), where Symphorien (François Chénier) works as a concierge, always flanked by his brother Éphrem (Martin Héroux).
While the handsome doctor Jetté is back in retirement, Mademoiselle L’Espérance (Nathalie Mallette) remains an spinster desperate to find love, even if Oscar Bellemare (Patrice Coquereau), the king of undertakers, still courts her works hard despite his back pain.
For her part, Madame Sylvain maintains an ambivalent relationship with the vicar of Dolbeau, a former childhood sweetheart, while grumpy Agathe Lamarre, Symphorien’s mother-in-law, settles down with her cat after having liposuction on her legs.
As in the TV series, the plot is thin and we stick to the simple and easy word game festival, but it works every time. “They have good working conditions. You get paid when you work!”, “We can’t afford to be poor” or “I would drink milk if the cows ate grapes” are among the memorable lines of the evening.
MARIO BEAUREGARD/QMI AGENCY
The interest of this production lies above all in the extraordinary acting of the actors who understood the essence of the original series. Nathalie Mallette embodies Mademoiselle L’Espérance, more impulsive than ever, with a sense of perfect timing. Each of his performances is tasty.
Patrice Coquereau also gives an incredible performance, both in the burlesque of Oscar Bellemare and in the hilarious moves of Agathe Lamarre, giving him an even more bitter and vengeful character.
As for François Chénier, he’s just amazingly similar to Gilles Latulippe, who lent his facial features to this character in the series. It’s all there, the gait, the habit of rocking on his feet, his hands in his pockets, his gestures, even the way he speaks.
The staging by Louis Saia and Pierre Seguin is effective and without downtime, even if the story sometimes drags on a bit.
Nostalgics get their money’s worth, the youngest or those who haven’t experienced the series are dazzled by so much talent.
The play “Symphorien” is certainly a must in summer.