Since the early 1990s, François Pérusse has been making the Francophonie laugh with his albums, capsules and TV shows. For the first time, actors will bring his world to life in front of an audience.
“Basically, it’s a 20-minute show for six actors. It’s a lip-sync, based on the best pieces of François [Pérusse]’s career,” summarizes Guillaume Lambert, director of the show Les 20 minutes du peuple, which will be presented free of charge three times a night, from 20 to July 29, as part of the Just for Laughs festival.
“It was the Just for Laughs team that contacted us with the proposal to do not only a show, but also an environment, an immersion, a village… It’s going to cost a lot of taxes, jokes the 62-year-old comedian . I was all excited about this, but I’m an audio guy. When I was told, “This is going to be your sound”, I became very comfortable. So I’ve built a 23-minute show that includes stuff people will recognize, but also some new stock. »
In a short excerpt, we heard the song Mon prof de gym – the only piece that has not been re-recorded -, the famous line “Gérard, j’te disturb? », the guy shopping for a skidoo… and Bob Hartley.
“These are five actors led by the famous Bob Hartley who are trying to put on a street show on the Place des Festivals. It’s a bit meta…, indicates Guillaume Lambert with comic irony. We play a lot on the codes of summer theatre. I don’t think you should be afraid of ridicule. Do not be afraid of shoulder pads, wigs or going to Dollarama to buy accessories. »
The director compares the work of actors Sarah Anne Parent, Marie-Ève Morency, Audrey Guériguian, Joseph Martin, André-Luc Tessier and Nicolas Michon to “Olympic performance”.
The show Les 20 minutes du peuple is part of the Carrefour du peuple, which will take place on the Esplanade of Place des Arts. In addition to the colorful and atypical stage which will benefit from an immersive sound system, various animation stations designed by the company Charlie Tango will be installed. The Snack-Bar at Raymond will offer something to eat. It will also be possible to sing karaoke, take a photo with the famous skidoo that should not be left in the yard, walk in a questionnaire course or listen to exclusive phrases from François Pérusse on a giant telephone, explains Lyne Thériault, executive producer at Just for Laughs.
Joking aside, it was essential for François Pérusse to include classics from the dozen volumes of L’album du peuple that fans know by heart as well as new ones. “I was forced to listen to all my albums. It was the longest part. I had a hard time getting started, because I was like, “Well, how do we start this, then how do we please everyone?” “I created a notebook and then I started to take the microphone and compose the song to introduce the actors. There, the fun started and hasn’t stopped since. »
Beside him, Guillaume Lambert remarks: “We feel that you are in full possession of your equipment and that it is very instinctive. I wanted us to keep this authenticity and this fragility. It’s very web too. It speaks the language of the new generation which takes up the vocabulary of Pérusse on TikTok. It’s going so fast and I wanted us to keep it. We wondered at one point: “Are we slowing down the pace so that we can allow the actors to interpret? Then we said, “Certainly not!” These comedians are in shit! Good for them. Good for them. »
The one who had called on François Pérusse for his films The fortuitous scenes and Niagara was happy to plunge back into the world of humorist. “When I was young, I would check in and do the CDKC and Sex Advice guy. He influenced my humor and what I do for a living,” says Guillaume Lambert.
We asked François Pérusse if former NHL coach Bob Hartley knew he was one of his most popular characters. “One day, I did Bob Hartley in La tite chambre on RDS by taking his real face and making him say something else through his mouth. RDS sent him the clip and that’s when he found out I was doing this. At that time, Bob Hartley was a coach for the Calgary Flames. He sent me a clip response via RDS. He was next to his biggest Flames player, who was in uniform, looking menacing. He said to me, “Yeah Francois, I listened to that. It’s good. Listen, I’ll send you someone. “So, yes, he knows,” the comedian says with a laugh.