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Affiliate Report

French Food Spices Tasty Montreal Fest

FROM REPORTS BY ROBERT PECK

Serge Trempe, organizer of the IJA's 1992 festival in Montreal, organized the third regional festival for Les Jongleurs Associe du Quebec in late April. About a dozen Americans joined many Canadians for a weekend of big shows and friendly camaraderie.

A Friday evening French language Renegade show was highlighted by Rojam's amazing multiple rola bola balancing and magic tricks. Rob Peck's three ball version of Hamlet presented the evenings homage to the English language. Patrick Leonard did a funny diabolo skit, making references to the master, Donald Grant, who was in the audience. Then Grant, who has been studying at circus school in Montreal, did a creative and hilarious act with toothbrushes, including helicopter spins around his index finger and a nose balance. He concluded by knocking a toothbrush out of a volunteers mouth with a diabolo and its handsticks.

Saturday's activities included a few workshops, but everyone saved their energy for the evenings Souper Cabaret. A French buffet of everything from pate to patisseries was spread for hungry diners. After supper, the audience settled back for a show directed by Irene Paquin and emceed by Monsieur Emil. The creative emcee spiced up the show with a variety of impersonations, showing up between acts as everything from a drag queen to a lab technician to a mime to a touristic tennis player.

France Robert did a percussion piece, beating sticks on drums and each other, juggling them and twirling them. Sylviane Duchene then did a gentleman juggler routine with cigar, gloves and derby, including Kremo-like moves balancing the derby on the cigar and bouncing it to his head. Foolsproof, Linda and Rob Peck, did a prop potpourri, including work with a ball and parasol, cigar boxes, and devil sticking. They also premiered a move they learned from fellow jugglers Martin Frost and Jim Dubois in which they stole a vest from each other during a runaround.

Rojam built a tower of about eight trays on a rola bola as he stood on them, then brought them down quickly and stylistically with help from his assistant, Jenny. France Robert directed eleven students from L'Ecole National du Cirque in some comedic club passing, sight gags and acrobatics, ending in a funny group pose.

Raymond Bolduc opened the second act with a skillful combination of contact juggling and head rolls. Matt Ledding did three clubs to music in startling combinations, and Patrick Leonard performed physical comedy with a children's gymnastic stair set. Christian Harrel reprised the gentleman juggler piece he did in competition at the Montreal festival, including hat manipulations, three balls and clubs. Ben Schoenberg used his feet skillfully in a ball routine that worked up to a cascade of seven, then did three beanbags on squash rackets. Donald Grant closed the show with remarkable one and two diabolo work that drew a standing ovation.