Par Misha Nye
12 février 2025
Picture this: it is a grey Thursday in February and, despite your best efforts, you are feeling a bit low. You are sick of the winter sludge and the spring sun still feels an age away. What’s more, it is a Thursday. Who has anything to do on a Thursday in the depths of February? But then you remember that you’re on your way to MainLine Theatre. In fact, you can just about see the tangle of bikes outside Segal’s that means you’re getting near. You walk up the stairs, settle in your rickety seat, and look at the program. It's Amélie the Musical. The lights go down and, all of a sudden, all snow melts from view.
Promotional photo for Amélie.
Amélie, the well-loved film from 2001, initially had a rocky start to life as a musical. It opened on Broadway to a lukewarm response, and it wasn’t until the West End revamp that it clicked. But it was here that the charming, zany, whimsical world of Amélie Poulain really came to life. And now, thanks to Penumbra Theatre, it is coming to Montréal.
Amélie est une serveuse timide et excentrique vivant à Montmartre, Paris. Après avoir trouvé une boîte de bibelots cachée dans ses planches, Amélie cherche son propriétaire et se lance ainsi dans une aventure aux côtés des voisins Madcap et des rêveurs originaux. Une histoire de connexion et nos vies attachées, ce spectacle vous fait voir le pouvoir de chaque petite action que vous prenez.
The cast of Amélie in rehearsal.
‘I was smitten’. This was the immediate response of director Adrian Saldanha upon hearing the soundtrack. Adrian forms one half of Penumbra Theatre alongside producer Aly Slominski. Amélie the Musical will be their first show since Be More Chill, which gained 8 nominations at the META awards. Anticipation has been building, and there is no one more excited than Adrian. We sat down for a chat during the Christmas break, when Adrian was itching to get back into the rehearsal room. When people say joy is infectious, I think this is what they mean.
For those wanting a sterile transplant of the film, pixie cut and all, you may want to look elsewhere. Adrian was adamant that this is a fresh new take, embracing rather than shunning the quirks of the cast and of our city. That said, at its core Amélie the Musical is, and will always be, a tale of our shared humanity:
«Un spectacle sur la connexion et les empchets invisibles qui maintiennent les gens ensemble».
The cast of Amélie.
This is truly an ensemble piece. Cat Preston takes on the role of Amélie, with a cast and crew jam-packed with talent. Among others, this includes choreographer Caeleigh McDonald and music director Eric Elliot-Lee, who reunite after their work on Be More Chill. It was touching to see the pride and the respect that Adrian has for each member of the team, where everyone has the responsibility to shape the destiny of the show.
`` Ce spectacle a été un puzzle avec beaucoup de gens qui essaient de le résoudre ''
La «collaboration» peut souvent ressembler à un mot à la mode - utile pour une application de subvention, mais parfois une idée fragile plutôt qu'à une pratique. Mais pendant notre chat, j'ai réalisé que c'était différent. C'était fascinant de parler de la collaboration en tant que solveur de problèmes, comme technique. Par exemple, la question de la mère d'Amélie, dans cette production jouée par Cassie Muise. En grande partie une maman en colère clichée dans l'original, ils ont collectivement choisi un angle plus sympathique, prêtant des errants en solo d'Amélie une nouvelle valence tragique. Cela témoigne du style de réalisateur rafraîchissant d'Adrian: «Pour encourager les acteurs à raconter l'histoire qu'ils veulent raconter… pour les guider vers la meilleure version de ces récits».
C'est la collaboration en tant que dramaturgie, pas seulement en tant qu'idéologie, où le désaccord signifie que quelque chose d'intéressant se passe. C'est la fabrication du théâtre comme découverte, avec tout le monde dans le voyage ensemble.
The cast of Amélie in rehearsal.
«Tout le monde a mis la main dans la création de cette tarte».
What about the ‘non-dit’- a show set in France, yet shown in Québec. When I asked Adrian this, he looked thoughtful. ‘We’re just trying to tell this beautiful story about loss and connection’, he replied. And that’s the simple truth. Amélie is a show about what brings us together. It teaches us to unlearn the individualism and isolation that is drilled into us from an early age. This is a message with particular valence for the divide between Anglo and Franco arts in the city, one that Adrian hopes to bridge with this show.
February can be a lonely month: the dark before the dawn. Amélie the Musical is a beautiful, warming show and a welcome tonic for these times. At moments like this, we can all do with a reminder of our shared connection. So cast your mind ahead to February 20th. The lights go up. You leave the theatre, maybe sharing a smile with a stranger as you leave. The cold returns, but the warmth and whimsy of Amélie linger on.
‘Amélie the Musical’, presented by Penumbra Theatre, runs from the 20th February – 1st March at MainLine Theatre.
Amélie la comédie musicale
Par le théâtre de Penumbra
20 février - 1er mars 2025
Au théâtre Mainline