At the invitation of the Center du Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui, 14 spectators of various ages and backgrounds meet at regular intervals to chat about theater. The Press attended two meetings of La Horde, a concept imagined by the artistic director and co-general director of the institution, Sylvain Bélanger.
Posted at 1:01 a.m.
Updated at 8:00 a.m.
The idea
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
La Horde brings together a group of citizens for an exchange activity around the works presented at the Center du Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui.
It was in 2016 that Sylvain Bélanger had the idea of forming a group of 15 citizens aged between 18 and 26 for an exchange activity around the works presented at the Center du Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui. “That season featured the younger generation or gave them a voice. We wanted to test with the real world what we said or made these young people say. Challenging the mirrors that were held up to measure the gap between reality and artistic transposition. »
It was also a way, he said, to create a succession of quality spectators. “La Horde welcomed people who are not necessarily theater regulars…”
“The benefits are qualitative. We are experiencing a moment of hyper-human exchange. It allows us to see the works differently through a new and fresh perspective. The goal is to create a shock and receive one. I have always had this concern: to reach people and erase gaps on certain perceptions, such as the elitism of theater. »
Workshops
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
Sylvain Bélanger (foreground) attends all La Horde workshops.
The modus operandi of La Horde is simple: participants meet to discuss in the rehearsal room before the start of a performance. Often, these meetings aim to provide collective feedback on the works seen. But sometimes, the workshops aim to prepare participants for the show that will follow.
Thus, the philosophical workshop offered by Léa C. Brillant allowed discussions on identity and the various ways of expressing who we are. A perfect workshop for better entertaining Papecaa piece written and performed by non-binary artist Micha Raoutenfeld.
Then, movement was explored with choreographer Maude Lecours. Participants preparing to attend two plays centered around old age (Getting old And Shevchenko), a collage of gestures imagined by each participant was created around this theme.
Participants’ opinions
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PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
Zaki Mahfoud worked as an actor and director in his country of origin, Lebanon. The 65-year-old man, who returned to Quebec in 2020 after a first stay in the 1990s, registered with La Horde with a stated goal: to get to know the people here better. “It’s difficult to integrate. For me, theater is the best way to discover a culture, because we talk about social issues there. With La Horde, I discovered the peaceful side of Quebecers! The room The mutants. are also allowed me to see how Quebecers interpret their society. »
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PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
At 16 years old, Nathaniel Bernier is the youngest member of La Horde this year. “I am a fifth secondary student from the South Shore. Theater is one of my great passions along with cinema. With La Horde, I step out of my comfort zone, because I speak with people who know more about theater than me. But the debate is very calm. I’m not used to being listened to without feeling like someone will judge me! I loved Nzinga, which allowed me to discover a cultural diversity that is not part of my life. »
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PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
Perrine H. Leblan has always had an interest in theater, but since leaving university in creative writing, the 33-year-old woman had lost a little contact with this art. “The Horde gave me a great opportunity to come back. Meetings are always fun. There are few spaces in my life where I can talk with people of different experiences and backgrounds. There is a lot of respect and care between us. The philosophical workshop allowed me to better appreciate Papeca, an experimental show that surprised me a lot! »
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PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
“I am the forty-year-old, white and cisgender representative,” says geologist and ex-carpenter David Fafard. “I love my experience of The Horde, because there are few meeting places like this in my daily life. I had great human encounters there with people who love theater. And the workshops exceeded my expectations. The pieces we saw all had an impact on me in different ways, notably Papeca. This sight was disturbing for some, but it pleasantly surprised me. If I could, I would re-enroll in La Horde next year! »
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To participate
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
Sylvain Bélanger wishes to attract around fifteen new participants to La Horde for the 2024-2025 season.
For next season, Sylvain Bélanger wishes to once again bring together around fifteen participants aged between 18 and 98, from “all generations, origins and occupations. » The group will be invited to participate in various workshops in the form of 5 to 7, in addition to attending seven plays of the season. Membership in La Horde is free. The deadline to apply is August 31.
Visit the La Horde page
