Show created in February 2020, at the Théâtre jeunesse Les Gros Becs
For 5 to 8 years old (school performances)
4 years old and up (family performances)
During the daytime, Lou is not afraid of her house. She plays in her bedroom and in the hall.
Very rarely in the living room.
Never on the stairs.
And especially not in the basement . . .
Oh no, not there!
One night, Lou was woken by a loud noise.
What caused the noise? Where did it come from?
Then a voice spoke to Lou. Softly. Calmly. It seemed to come . . .
From the stairs?
Or maybe . . .
From the basement?
Guided by this kind — but sometimes annoying – voice, Lou left her bedroom and began to explore her pitch-black house. She heard ominous sounds, pipes that hiccupped, floors and stairs that creaked . . . The furniture began to move right before her eyes, turning into beasts that had to be tamed. Lou opened doors that were closed, clutching their knobs as they moved . . . After making her way through the house she no longer recognized, she found herself in front of that door… The one that was always locked and opened onto . . . the basement. Lou, who was just 7 years old, hesitated. She stretched her neck for a better view. She began to breathe faster. A long shiver ran down her spine.
Lou was torn between fear and curiosity. Would she go down the stairs?
Teaser
A word from the author
For several years, I lived in Toronto. Lost in a vast city, far from my family, speaking a language that wasn’t my own, I had to come up with a number of strategies to keep moving forward. The one I’m most proud of is a club I founded with a few friends. We met once each season for an evening divided into two parts. First, we would talk about what was blocking us or scaring us. Then, we would set challenges for each other to face our fears, push our limits, and, ultimately, grow.
One evening during one of these sessions, I remembered how, as a child, I used to ask my mother to leave my bedroom door open. Her own door, however, was always closed, and I admired her for having the courage to do such a thing. I believed that as I grew older, my fears would gradually fade, one by one. That I would conquer them, just like my mother, and become a fearless adult.
Yet, thirty years later, there we were, four expatriates, far from everything familiar, tiny in a city we could only view from below, sharing our fears. As I was lost in my thoughts, my dear friend Anouk pulled me aside and said, “There are only two emotions: love and fear. Everything you feel is either one or the other, or a mix of both.”
Today, I’ve left Toronto behind. I now live in Quebec, close to my family and friends, in a language I love. But not a day goes by that I don’t think about Anouk, about love and fear, and about their immense power to open and close doors.
Maxime Robin
January 2020
Creative Team
Written and directed by: Maxime Robin
Dramaturgy advisor: Jean-Michel Girouard
Set design: Erica Schmitz
Lighting: Keven Dubois
Music and sound scape: Josué Beaucage
Original cast: Marianne Marceau and Mélissa Merlo
Voice: Éric Leblanc
Artistic Direction :Hélène Blanchard and Judith Savard
Write us to obtain a press kit or any other document related to this production.
Press
It’s extremely charming! It’s funny! It’s intelligent, it’s well-paced! […] When the play ended, all the children around me were saying: ‘This is my favorite play. I loved it!’ […] They were thrilled. […] It’s my favorite children’s show in a long time! There’s a touch of magic. There’s a lot of humor. It teaches courage beautifully. It’s really a very, very lovely play. […] A pleasure for both the little ones and the grown-ups.”
Anne-Josée Cameron, Ici Première, C’est encore mieux l’après-midi, February 6, 2020
“Marianne Marceau instantly captivates with a sincere performance, as delicate as it is joyful, of the utterly lovable Lou—both graceful and feisty. Her lines are savored slowly, but always hit the mark. While young viewers can identify with Lou’s steps through each room she visits, the adults recall their childhood fears while catching the numerous cinematic references cleverly woven into the design. Lou in the Night is yet another true gem in the near-perfect 2020-2021 season from Théâtre jeunesse Les Gros Becs.”
David Lefebvre, MonTheatre.qc.ca, February 9, 2020
Technical Rider
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