Klara Martel-Laroche and Monique Pagé came to the media premiere of to save the furniture with their voices on Thursday The melody of happiness in Quebec, while viewers in the Salle Albert-Rousseau were treated to actors who didn’t seem entirely immersed in their dialogues.
• Also read: The melody of happiness in Quebec: a yesterday’s classic in a modern way
• Also read: [EN IMAGES] The Actors of The melody of happiness Sing backstage with Gregory Charles at the piano
Perhaps it was the French accent that we adopted due to the European context in which the play was set, but even the actor Éric Paulhus, who excelled in around forty productions, didn’t seem entirely natural in the role of Hauptmann von Trapp. If her voice sounded flawless, one could only tell that her stage colleagues had far more tones in their repertoire.
This new incarnation of the 1959 classic follows a young woman devoted to a life of godliness, responsible for the seven children of a strict sea captain. However, many will remember the 1965 film adaptation, which starred Julie Andrews.
Klara Martel-Laroche, who played Maria, the von Trapp family’s new governess, and Monique Pagé, who played Mother Abesse, gave a spectacular performance and demonstrated the range of their voices worthy of great opera.
Monique Pagé offered an opera lesson to the people in the room. Photo Alexandre Caputo
A well-equipped stage…no furniture
As announced by Gregory Charles, director of The Melody of Happiness, during the behind-the-scenes media visit to the play; The only physical decorative element was a small single bed set up on stage for a performance. However, the quality of the images forming the background was unmistakable. Combining the watercolor style with the realism of European architecture on the moving stage panels, both the von Trapp estate and the other locations where the musical took place were absolutely beautiful.
The play of light and the choice of colors and decorations were very pleasing to look at. Photo Alexandre Caputo
Despite the perhaps minimalist-looking decor, thanks to the support of the von Trapp family’s seven children, the actors were able to cast the boards beautifully.
The eldest of the family, played by Audrey-Louise Beauséjour, deserved a bigger place in this production. The version of “Star Académie” known to the general public already gave an insight into her great singing talent in the first act, but unfortunately her performances were limited after the second start.
my favorite things
The popular song “My Favorite Things”, recorded in French for the occasion, was beautifully performed. But on the fourth revival, even before the bell announced the intermission, one might wonder whether the musical repertoire of the piece could not have been more diverse.
Universal antagonists?
Gregory Charles announced that he wanted to give a more timeless look to the story’s antagonists, who are Nazi officers in the original version. However, the changes made were minimal, as black and red dominated the villains’ costumes, and the infamous swastika was more than immediately replaced with a pale copy.
Photo Alexandre Caputo
The support of the audience, who received a hearty ovation at the end of the curtain, proved that Gregory Charles and his team were still up to this classic.