Zipped out to a matinee show of celebrated Canadian auteur and thespian Robert Lepage's 'The Far Side of the Moon' (2000), presented by his theatre company Ex Machina, and in this performance helmed by just one actor, Yves Jacques. This play premiered in 2000 and Robert Lepage has restaged it, and it has begun touring internationally again.
The storyline goes with two estranged brothers Philippe and Andre cannot be more diametrically opposed in terms of confidence, outlook, opinions and values. The brothers come together to deal with the death of their mother, and examine their relationship. The underlying commentary flags the rivalry in the space race between the United States and Russia. In a review of the play at the Perth Festival 2018 by Brigid Delaney for The Guardian published in February 2018, she wrote,
The two-hour solo performance by the very talented and versatile 63-year-old Yves Jacques was boosted by multi-media, puppets, lighting and a plethora of props designed to bring out every character he played. This was theatre illusion at its best. The props that were meant to be tech gadgets were amusing — those gadgets used technology that seemed rather outdated today in 2019. The veteran actor has performed this play for over 370 times in 45 cities, backed by a skillful team of theatre technicians. It was obvious how awesome their partnership is. Everything ran on cue, and scenes blend seamlessly into one another.
It's a beautiful play about reconnecting even in the face of fierce rivalry. I was suitably mesmerized for more than half the performance. Well, the cynical part of me rolled eyes like crazy. Blood relations don’t make us kin. I'm not at a stage of my life where I understand how necessary reconnecting can be. For many people, it’s a type of emotional healing. I get it; it works for some, especially when they need closure, but it isn't for me.
The storyline goes with two estranged brothers Philippe and Andre cannot be more diametrically opposed in terms of confidence, outlook, opinions and values. The brothers come together to deal with the death of their mother, and examine their relationship. The underlying commentary flags the rivalry in the space race between the United States and Russia. In a review of the play at the Perth Festival 2018 by Brigid Delaney for The Guardian published in February 2018, she wrote,
The brothers’ struggles are essentially an allegory for the play’s overarching theme: the space race between the United States and Russia. Archival footage charts elements of the race. The networks eventually tire of showing it, but Philippe’s passion does not wane. In a flashback to his teenage years, one of the play’s more poignant moments, he takes LSD and lies on the Plains of Abraham – the plateau outside Quebec where the pivotal battle between British and French armies took place in 1759 – and stares at the moon, trying to see a Russian satellite.
The two-hour solo performance by the very talented and versatile 63-year-old Yves Jacques was boosted by multi-media, puppets, lighting and a plethora of props designed to bring out every character he played. This was theatre illusion at its best. The props that were meant to be tech gadgets were amusing — those gadgets used technology that seemed rather outdated today in 2019. The veteran actor has performed this play for over 370 times in 45 cities, backed by a skillful team of theatre technicians. It was obvious how awesome their partnership is. Everything ran on cue, and scenes blend seamlessly into one another.
It's a beautiful play about reconnecting even in the face of fierce rivalry. I was suitably mesmerized for more than half the performance. Well, the cynical part of me rolled eyes like crazy. Blood relations don’t make us kin. I'm not at a stage of my life where I understand how necessary reconnecting can be. For many people, it’s a type of emotional healing. I get it; it works for some, especially when they need closure, but it isn't for me.
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