In Montreal, journalist Louis-Philippe Messier is mostly on the run, with his desk in his backpack, looking for fascinating topics and people. In this city chronicle he speaks to everyone and is interested in all areas of life.
A “participatory” screening of the classic Christmas film The tree has balls, with Chevy Chase in Parisianoid translation has filled Club Soda, and its producer wants to make this event an annual tradition… which you'd better book early next year if you want seats.
While TVA was airing the enduring Christmas comedy “The Tree Has Balls” (French version of the film “National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation”) last Thursday, a strange cinematic-theatrical performance was being prepared backstage at Club Soda in downtown Montreal.
Actors, all volunteers there for fun, try on their fifty or so costumes.
Rehearsals took place for two days under the direction of producer Jarrett Mann (also a volunteer).
Producer Jarrett Mann is involved in this Christmas project on a voluntary basis, as are all the other craftsmen. Photo Louis Philippe Messier
These 17 actors will play the characters from the 1989 film simultaneously on the stage below the screen, of course by matching their lips with the images.
The audience who sees them often knows the lines of the film by heart. Some audience members recite them systematically.
“I have never sold all the tickets, more than 500, for an event so quickly!” enthuses Mr. Mann, who organizes events of this kind every year with his company Mcflyevt.ca.
There are so many people everywhere that it takes several minutes for him to find a place for me on a narrow balcony at the top.
Ticket holders strangely show up early. An hour before the performance, the hall is full and the rum and eggnog are flowing freely!
“I would like to make this participatory screening of The Tree Has Balls an annual tradition,” announces Mr. Mann.
Club Soda was filled to capacity. Photo Louis Philippe Messier
Happy riot
“My passion for this film goes back to my childhood, I listen to it twice every year, once in French and once in English, and my own children are starting to love it too,” says Yoann-Karl Whissell, director of genre films (in particular Turbo Kid), who wears the costume and white hair of Clark Snior, the main character's father.
Yoann-Karl Whissell gets her makeup and hair done to play the role of Clark Griswold's elderly father. Photo Louis Philippe Messier
“It's a real brainwashing: I feel like Clark Griswold and have been thinking day and night about his lines and his facial expressions for some time now,” actor Simon Pelletier-Gilbert told me with a laugh.
The silence typical of the indoor cinema has absolutely no effect here!
Every time a character collapses in the film, everyone screams Ayoye!
As soon as characters kiss, the audience screams “Kiss!”
As soon as the haughty neighbors appear on the screen, it screams snob!
When we see the hateful face of the character's boss, we boo him: Boohhh!
Every time the anti-hero father tries to light up his thousands of Christmas decorations, everyone bangs on the table or benches to imitate a drum roll.
When the damn lights that never work finally come on, about twenty projectors obscure the room.
These interjections often prevent us from hearing what is being said in the film, but that doesn't matter because we already know it by heart.
During the film's incredible final sequence, all the actors occupy the stage at the same time and when the big explosion occurs, the whole room shouts: “Merry Christmas!”
Everyone stands up and wishes it even to their unknown neighbors. And so I would like to conclude this column: I wish you a Merry Christmas!
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