[VIDÉOS] Marie-Eve Janvier does useful work playing an abused woman in “Waitress”

Marie-Eve Janvier goes through the whole range of emotions, night after night, in the musical comedy Waitress.

Firstly because she is returning to the stage after a 10-year absence, but also because the story of this Broadway success does useful work, according to her, by addressing themes such as domestic violence, love, loveless marriage, toxic relationships, abortion and dreams that can allow us to emancipate ourselves.

For Marie-Eve Janvier, who adds a performer’s string to her stage baggage with Waitressit’s not a burden to play Jenna, despite the heaviness of the subject.

“I see it as: ‘the bad guy is coming out here.’ I’m fine, I’m happy in my life. I’m letting go of so many things. My character is a completely normal girl, who has dreams, who has left a lot of them aside, who is a little stuck in her life. The happiness, and especially the gift of playing her on stage, is to allow yourself to be very real. When the project began, I forbade myself from having imposter syndrome,” she told Mélanie Maynard, Monday evening, at Sweety salty.

With her partner Earl (Jean-François Beaupré), the violence is verbal, but also physical.

“The first time we rehearsed the scene several weeks ago – he takes my arm, he squeezes my arm, he pushes me – it[était] anyway [dur]. We were taking it really slowly. It was the first time I had ever done that in my life. […]. It was going up, and at one point I [suis mise] to yell. Because I realized [que] “We play characters, but there are some that are real, every day. Today, I like to play that, because I tell myself that if ever it can trigger… It’s sure that there’s someone in the room one night who’s going to be like… the spark is going to take off and it’s going to be like, no, I’m not well anymore,” said Marie-Eve, whose third child, Louis, just celebrated his first birthday.

Waitress also features the talents of Sharon James (Becky) and Julie Ringuette (Dawn), who are Jenna’s colleagues and friends.

Renaud Paradis (D^r Pomatter), François Léveillée (Joe), Jonathan Gagnon (Cal), Jonathan Caron (Ogie) and Madeleine Sarr (nurse Norma) are also in the cast, which is completed by an ensemble as well as several musicians on stage.

Produced by ComediHa!, the Quebec adaptation of the musical Waitress is playing at Espace St-Denis in Montreal until July 28. Salle Albert-Rousseau in Quebec City will then host the show from August 10 to 31.

More information is available online.