FVA 2009: Spoken Word + Performance = New Voices
Montreal, Monday, January 19, 2009 — Every year, it’s as if we forget it’s cold in
the winter. And every year, it’s amazing how this funny little festival returns with
such an original, elliptical line-up. Since 2002, the beginning of February in Montreal
has meant plugging in to the Festival Voix d’Amériques (FVA) to celebrate spoken word
and voices that dare. The 8th FVA runs February 6 to 13, presented by
Les Filles Électriques. This year, it takes a quick turn over the top to focus on
performance and interdisciplinarity.
With Marie-Jo Thério as our Guest of Honour, we celebrate
liberation, brilliance, depth of feeling, and the ability to be in the moment. We adore
Marie-Jo. She’s a wild wandering creature, indefinable but always captivating, always
astonishing. The FVA is a terrific opportunity to see her in the intimacy of the Sala
Rossa for a free-fall with guests, friends and the unexpected. There is nobody quite
like Marie-Jo.
The FVA classics are back, of course, including Body and Soul (read: hot girls who make no
apologies for having bodies and putting them on stage). This year, we feature dancers…
who talk. And after last year’s dazzling DADA Cabaret, we return to the scene of the
crime with a Surrealist DADA
Cabaret hosted by the delicious Nathalie Claude.
The Combat contre la langue de
bois now has a serious cult following, and we’re flattered by the
imitators we’ve inspired since introducing the concept five years ago! This
bare-knuckle rant against the mealy-mouthed looks especially peppery this year. And the
genuine article still happens where it all began—at the Sala!
Two new projects from Les Filles Électriques are worth coming out for:
Poètes publics is a new band featuring poets, performers and
musicians—about ten people in all; and Le
Miracle de Brahmine (named for an early film by Georges Méliès) is a mix
inspired by Méliès, Robert-Houdin, curiosity cabinets and seances. There is also an
OFF-FVA show opening Thursday, February 5, titled Sortir de l’écran / Spoken Screen, presented in
partnership with Agence TOPO.
The FVA features a daily program of new voices, starting at 5 pm with our
“Band + Poetry” Happy Hours, where you’ll
hear the edgiest musicians in town. Later, it’s the ever popular Night Shift, whose Open Mic
beckons to the soon-to-be-known.
FVA maintains its HQ at La Sala Rossa and the Casa del
Popolo, located opposite each other on Saint-Laurent — a key factor on frigid
nights. For the first time, ALL shows at the Casa are free (Take that, economic
crisis!). Mainstage shows begin at 8:30 pm at La Sala, still at a very reasonable
$12-$25. Accessible? We told you so! It’s all about pursuing our mission to bring you
astounding performances and voices with a difference.
