Statue
By Céline Chevrier and Kristina Troske
THE SHOW
Statue is a contemporary puppetry piece which explores the imposition of gender stereotypes by society.
Both playful and original, our 30 minute silent narrative expounds this occasionally dark theme using a body puppet, essentially a hybrid art blending movement and puppetry.
At times surreal, the strength of this technique lies in its possibilities, touching audiences according to their interpretation.
Calling on the intelligence and sensitivity of the audience, Statue is presented as a celebration of diversity through affirmation of the self while taking a cynical look at the norm.
Suitable for 10 and up
THE CREATIVE PROCESS
From its very inception Statue has been concerned both with questions of gender in puppetry and with developing a strong gestural language which pushes the boundaries of our discipline. For us the puppet has no gender, as it is foremost an inanimate object. Our interest then is to explore how and why it is we imbue it with a gender, according to its gestures, attitude, or the manipulators’ reaction to it. What role do the manipulators play and can they be understood to represent the power dynamics in society at large?
Statue lying down on a bench
Statue sitting on the ground with second dance artist looking down from standing
Statue and artist sitting on a bench
Statue lying down on a bench
Friday, September 24
Saturday, September 25
8:30 pm
6:00 pm
Sunday, September 26
6:00pm
Pay What You Choose -
$20, and up
tax receipts are available for the portion contributed above $20
One fee per POD (household, bubble, family)
1 pod is up to 5 people
All pods are safely spaced, each pod a minimum of 2 meters from the others
Please have all members of your pod ready to present their proof of double vaccination or exemption and matching ID papers, upon entry to the indoor venue.
This QR Code links to a COVID Assesment survey.
A link to this assessment will also be in your ticket confirmation email.
Please fill the form within 2hrs of the SHOW.
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Quick Covid Screening
THE HISTORY
Our collective is composed of Céline Chevrier and Kristina Troske, who met at Uqàm’s contemporary puppetry programme where we created an embryonic version of Statue as our final project. This initial inception was presented at several festivals including FIAMS 2017, Festival Phenomena (Sala Rosa) and Revolution They Wrote (Mainline). Since then, we have continued to develop the piece, notably with the support of several Maisons de la culture in Montreal, at a residency at Le Cube (Centre de recherche international pour l’enfance et la jeunesse) specifically their adolescent division and with backing from Mai (Montréal arts interculturels) as part of their Alliance programme. Toward its final phase of creation the show was presented in Edmonton at the SkirtsAfire Festival in 2019, made possible by a travel grant from The Conseil des arts du Québec.
Céline Chevrier
Céline’s first performance work was in circus and physical theatre. Seeking direct contact with the public and aspiring to an artistic presence in unconventional contexts, she mainly performed in the streets. She also led several community art projects from an intersectional feminist perspective. In the last few years, she has devoted herself to learning the medium of puppetry, which she considers an art form on human scale, combining object and interpretation with great poetic possibilities. She is particularly interested in the relationship between puppet and manipulator, and is in constant exploration of nonverbal expression. Versatile in this new practice, she has had the chance to collaborate with several artists and inspirational companies, including Les Sages Fous, Libre Course and Valise Théâtre.
photo credit: Bahara Seif 2018
Kristina Troske
Kristina has a background in theatre performance and social work and has devoted the better part of the past several years to raising four children. Her interest in puppetry lies in its ability to examine themes difficult to address in traditional theatre, the strength of its image-based storytelling and its poetry. Kristina enjoys designing and building puppets as much as she does performing with them and some of her puppets are used in educational settings. Other creations include her film Blue, which was selected for the 2015 Festival of Animated Objects in Calgary and her short puppet piece Not I/Pas moi, presented both at Castelier’s OUF festival and at Café Concret in 2018 in Montreal. In 2021 Kristina will be working on a new creation for children, generously supported by Le Cube, Playwright’s Workshop Montreal and the Canada Council for the Arts.
photo credit: Sean Dennie 2015
Collaborators
Creation and interpretation: Céline Chevrier and Kristina Troske
Direction of movement: Laurence Castonguay Emery
Lighting design and technical support: Sara Sabourin
Original composition: Loïc Reeves
Technical Director: Paul Foresto
Dramaturgical support: Pascal Brullemans et Andrea Niño
Videographer: Michel Pinault
Thank you to our partners!
“Ce projet à bénéficié du soutien financier de l’Entente sur le développement culturel de Montréal intervenue entre la Ville de Montréal et le Ministère de la Culture, des Communications et de la Condition féminine du Québec”