La grange is a multi-faceted project. A mix of theatrical performance, concert and installation, the audience was drawn in and held captive for the entire hour of the event. As soon as you enter the Bain Mathieu, you’re greeted by a subdued atmosphere. The entire basin of the former swimming pool had been converted to accommodate the concert. Every element of the decor has been carefully thought out to help evoke the famous barn that gives Félix-Antoine Coutu’s work its title. Bicycle wheels, wooden shelves and pieces of fabric rubbed shoulders with amplification equipment, cathode-ray screens and musical instruments. Nothing seemed out of place in this set, which perfectly evokes a space filled with objects from another time, with which the protagonist must come to terms (in every sense of the word). The audience, for its part, is positioned high up around the pool. This gives the impression of observing the microcosm of the barn from above. The staging was conceived in collaboration with Collectif Tôle, which specializes mainly in theatre.
In an interview with PAN M 360 earlier this week, composer Félix-Antoine Coutu talked about his invented instruments. We got to see them at work tonight, in all their detail. Motors vibrated strings at different speeds, producing different chords and drone effects. You really have to see these devices to fully appreciate Coutu’s ingenuity. Electronic and acoustic instruments blended perfectly to create an uncluttered soundtrack, despite the presence of 8 instrumentalists. La grange is above all a work that evokes moods. We sense that something is in the making and that time is inexorably passing. Not only does Coutu perform musically, with his electronic instruments, but he also offers a theatrical performance. His playing is subtle, nuanced and silent (the narrative is evoked solely by the music, as well as by a digital program available by scanning a QR code as you enter the theatre). All the character’s psychology is conveyed through simple gestures and evocative glances.
The work is divided into several tableaux, distinguished by subtle changes in lighting and instrumentation. The protagonist, Jude, barn janitor and inventor, played by Félix-Antoine Coutu himself, wanders through the set, focusing his attention on various elements. His goal is to get the drone he’s working on off the ground. Each tableau has a distinct mood, moving from contemplation to anticipation, from anxiety to hope. The stage presence of the 7 other musicians is also to be commended. A small chamber orchestra consisting of percussion, piano, flute, saxophone, bass clarinet, violin and cello is gradually added to the electronic instruments to build and intensify the musical structure, leading to the work’s climax. These are excellent performers (members of Duo Airs and the Paramirabo ensemble), each mastering multiple contemporary techniques. There are some fine musical moments, both tense and melodic. The soundtrack at times resembles ambient music, at others even film music.
La grange is truly an extraordinary event. For an hour, you feel detached from the world, out of time. A must-see performance!
Two performances will take place on September 30 at Bain Mathieu, at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. INFO AND TICKETS HERE.
