Carried by an ingenious staging and good performers, the Théâtre La Marjolaine offers a very entertaining little show. In the tradition of the musical theater creations of the historic establishment of the Eastern Townships.
A musical around the law of gravity. An “ode to the genius” of Isaac Newton and to scientific intuition… This is the risky – and successful – bet of Newton and the Celestial Bodies, the new musical presented at Eastman this summer. If we are very far from the colossal means of Hair, we must recognize the work and the ingenuity of the artisans of this creation of the Théâtre La Marjolaine. The troupe signs a production that is both playful and erudite, historical and contemporary.
The scene takes place in London in 1684. As the citizens cry out for famine, Isaac Newton (Frédéric Desager, rather comically) predicts an imminent end of the world with the collision of a comet with the Earth. However, Edmond Halley (excellent Jean-François Poulin) believes that the catastrophe will be avoided. He argues that the attraction of celestial bodies would be linked to the law of terrestrial gravity, without being able to prove it mathematically.
The young Halley will seek the help of his ex-professor at Cambridge to decipher the calculations. However, the president of the Royal Science Academy, the phony Robert Hooke (Jean Maheux, still as solid), will try to appropriate Newton’s research, by trying to have him arrested… for witchcraft.
The musical show, brilliantly staged by Sylvain Scott, has great qualities. It illustrates that creation in musical theater in Quebec is on the rise, even if the libretto written by Stéphane Brulotte is a little scattered, with several secondary plots that take us away from the premise (Newton’s Oedipal relationship with his mother…was it really necessary?). Yves Morin’s music has multiple references to British rock (The Clash, Pink Floyd, etc.). The composer signs very pretty refrains, some quite touching. Even if his work would have benefited from a better acoustic setting than the old barn transformed into a theater by the actress Marjolaine Hébert.
In addition to the actors mentioned above, we find Dominique St-Laurent, Marie-Eve Pelletier (splendid Mary Halley!, the “tigress” wife who breathes a feminist side into this old world dominated by men) and Hélène Durocher, who plays several roles with aplomb.
Founded in 1960, La Marjolaine is the oldest summer theater still in operation in Quebec. It had its ups and downs, but it was relaunched with passion and determination in 2004 by Marc-André Coallier, its current owner. By programming Newton, Coallier perpetuates the tradition of musical theater of the place, launched by Claude Léveillée and Louis-Georges Carrier (Sweet times of love), then continued by Sylvain Lelièvre and Michel Tremblay (The heroes of my childhood), among other shows memorable.
If only to salute the transmission of the history of this unique theater in Quebec, overflowing with soul and cachet, the trip to Eastman is worth the detour.
