Uneven, but Memorable

Photo Agence QMI, Dario Ayala
Claudine Mercier was also a show.

Raphaël Gendron-Martin

Wednesday, 19 July 2017 22:55

UPDATE
Wednesday, 19 July 2017 22:55

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For its 35th anniversary, Just for laughs has wanted to do things in a big way. In an outdoor show, the festival has presented on Wednesday night, a few comic songs, the most memorable of humour québécois, all accompanied by the music of the OSM. A good idea on paper that proved to be somewhat uneven in practice.

Grand opening of the OSM

Only on the track, the 65 musicians of the OSM began the evening in a very nice way, with an instrumental song that set the tone. Even if we didn’t have the sound quality of the Maison symphonique, the power of the orchestra was palpable on the Scene Videotron. And throughout the show, the OSM has given a lot of punch with a variety of benefits.

Farts worse Repeats in the wood

The ones who are now separated, the Chick’n Swell gathered for the occasion, the time of the offer including the excellent Getting worse Again. Accompanied by the orchestra, the piece took a turn almost epic, not to mention the solo cat (!) Francis Cloutier. It was also greatly appreciated to hear it again Patrick Groulx and les Denis Drolet redo In the woods, of the decedent issuing The Groulx Luxe. A pity, however, that Louis-José Houde has not accompanied the comic, as in the original version.

The songs are not so memorable

With a show of a duration of only an hour, we expected to see only a succession of great success. But strangely, we had a few pieces less known to the general public. Yet, the humor in quebec is no shortage of classic songs. In the early evening, Patrick Groulx has notably delivered the dark Peter. Then, we wondered what Ingrid St-Pierre came to do in this evening comic. The Three Agreements, which have played with the OSM at Just for laughs in 2015, would have been a better choice.

Barbies and Pérusse

Then we wondered where it was going to this show, we had the right to a benefit, surreal, and tasty, the song of the advertisement of Barbies Resto Bar Grill delivered to you by…, Nathalie Choquette and the baritone Patrick Mallette. Wow !

One of the moments that we were waiting for the most, the transition from François Pérusse, did not disappoint. The comic has delivered Snack Bar Chez Raymond and Guy has a bicycle yellow, to the cheers of the public. At the time of going to press, the pot-pourri of RBO had not been played.

THE VERDICT

A lot was expected of this show to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Just for laughs. Even if the concert, directed by Réal Béland, has offered some good times, the selection of songs we had raised some eyebrows a few times. We very much appreciated the bold choice of some of the pieces, but it would have been preferable to provide more parts that can engage a wide audience who only wanted to feast.