Thursday, March 17, 2011

A quartet of false poets and Russian musicians, moving with the dainty slowness of cosmonauts. Or, the unexpected encounter of sound-voice poetry adepts Sebastian Dicenaire and Vincent Tholomé (Belgium) with musicians Guido Del Fabbro and Guillaume Soucy (Quebec). An eclectic, experimental rendez-vous.

One of the FVA’s fail-safe shows is our infamous French-only soapbox contest, Combat contre la langue de bois (often imitated, never equalled!) To celebrate this 7th round event, we present a mega-combat with fifteen speakers in a room that will actually hold the audience for once. All of it handled with an iron glove by Stéphane Crête, who never tiptoes when he can charge. The Combat is a platform for free expression in a world where public space is increasingly given over to those with nothing to say. The combatants are artists and engaged citizens, each with 5 minutes to erase the inept. No discussion, no right of reply, the real deal. Take note: the indefatigable Fred Fortin will be back at his musical post, still at it seven years on.

Studies of what is possible between the kiss and the wound, the trivial and the searing word, the ordinary body and the body at the extreme. 50/50 poetry and action.

Bilingual.

5 minutes. Anything goes: poetry, prose, performance, song, English, French or any other language. But be warned: it has to be your own work.