A little over a year after its premiere, the musical Pub Royal will cross the milestone of 100 performances, Wednesday evening, at the Grand Théâtre de Québec, and two of its main architects are convinced that the show based on the work of Cowboys Fringants will mark several other anniversary dates of this type over the coming years.
• Also read: Les Cowboys Fringants at the premiere of “Pub Royal” in Paris: another great wave of love
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In interview with The Journalthe director Sébastien Soldevilla even jokingly suggests a career “like Broue” has Pub Royal.
If the idea of joining the 3000 and more performances of the legendary play seems ambitious, a phenomenon similar to Broue observed since the beginnings of Pub Royalpoints out comedian Kevin Houle.
“It’s crazy how many people write to us to tell us that this is the 4ethe 5e or the 6e time they come to see us. I’ve done a few musicals before and I’ve never seen this. People want to come back because they feel like they haven’t seen everything or because it’s the best show they’ve seen in their life. This is why it will last. It’s a show that can be seen and re-watched.”
“Suzanne, one of our biggest admirers, has seen him eight times and she has just bought her tickets to go see him in Paris,” adds Mr. Soldevilla.
Jean-François Pauzé and Sébastien Soldevilla a few days before the launch of “Pub Royal”, in November 2023.
Photo d’archives Pierre-Paul Poulin
Singing in the streets of Paris
Among the highlights of the short, but already rich life of Pub Royalthere is the moving premiere in Quebec, in November 2023, a week after the death of Karl Tremblay.
The Parisian triumph, in April 2024, at the Grand Rex, is also one of the fondest memories of Sébastien Soldevilla and Kevin Houle.
The members of Cowboys Fringants, accompanied by the daughters of Karl and Marie-Annick, greet the crowd after the premiere of the show in Paris, in April 2024.
Archive photo Cédric Bélanger
“Kevin had to come back three or four times to ask people to leave the room. There was one evening when the public continued to sing in the lobby and in the street. People even blocked the street singing Cowboys songs,” recalls the director.
And now the Zenith
Upon his return to Europe for a series of 10 performances in eight cities next April, Pub Royal will still be eagerly awaited.
“We’re going to play in halls of 5,000 spectators or more, we’re going to do Zéniths. It’s like we’re playing at Place Bell in every city we go to. It’s huge,” enthuses Kevin Houle.
“Pub Royal” will be presented in Quebec, Montreal, Trois-Rivières and in eight European cities in 2025.
Photo d’archives Agence QMI, Mario Beauregard
“There is a very deep attachment with the admirers of Cowboys Fringants and we must not forget that, for the moment, this is the only trace that remains of their music given that Karl is no longer with us. It adds to the feeling of wanting to celebrate their heritage,” says Sébastien Soldevilla.
The members of the group are also among the faithful admirers of the show.
“They come regularly. They don’t tell us and suddenly we see them in the room. It happens that JF comes to say hello with us without warning us. It’s always a nice surprise,” concludes Kevin Houle.
Pub Royal in a few dates
April 26, 2023: announcement of the creation of Pub Royala show inspired by the work of Cowboys Fringants and directed by Sébastien Soldevilla.
November 23, 2023: one week after the death of Karl Tremblay, Pub Royal is presented for the first time, at the Grand Théâtre de Québec, in the presence of Marie-Annick Lépine, Jean-François Pauzé and Jérôme Dupras.
December 6, 2023: Montreal premiere, at the Théâtre Maisonneuve.
January 9, 2024: producer Claude Larivée confirms new dates in Quebec and a tour in Europe in 2025.
April 12, 2024: triumphant premiere in Paris, at the Grand Rex, attended by the surviving members of the Cowboys Fringants as well as the daughters of Karl Tremblay.
April 25, 2024: album release Pub Royalthe last disc in which Karl Tremblay participated and which contains several songs from the show.
October 30, 2024: Pub Royal wins two Félix awards at the ADISQ gala, “Directing and scenography of the year” as well as “Show script of the year”.
2025: after his stay in Quebec, from January 8 to 18, Pub Royal will be presented in France, Switzerland and Belgium in April, before moving to the Cogeco Amphithéâtre in Trois-Rivières, in May, and returning to the Théâtre Maisonneuve in Montreal, for two series of performances, in August and December.
