Gold Mountain is all about injustice

Gold Mountain is all about injustice that awaits people with the courage to go search fortune elsewhere. It is a story of Chinese men in Liverpool but it could also be about women, who try to get past the WASP system. White Anglo-Saxon Protestant - or Anglican in England - and while we're at it: the expression never mentions the word Male because it doesn't even come to mind that the question should be about anyone other than male. But let's get back to this great play called GOLD MOUNTAIN by LES DEUX MONDES.

Gold Mountain tells the story of different folks being paid less because... Why, actually? Because they look different? Because they're not related to the local politicians? What hidden mafias set those rules? Which key do we press to stop it? How else can hidden mafias work for their own? And then you might want to ask as you leave the theater: How would that half Chinese son be welcomed in his father's home village of China now that the fierce Kuomintang is no longer the sole authoritative ruler of the country? Would he be offered the same opportunities as any local? Or would he now be considered an invader trying to steal jobs or saved/shared resources while trying to build a gold mountain for himself so he can take it elsewhere to some other worldly or unworldly paradise unknown to the locals? Quite the theme: Live together... on equal grounds for white men and Chinks (and for women too maybe?).

Visual concept on the set is innovative multimedia with Chinese shadows. Actors move not exactly mountains but close.

Two men compose the entire actor team on stage. British Chinese writer David Yip who wrote the play performs the father figure, he who was not rich or corrupt enough for the family of the woman he loved, and then left his home village and walked barefoot to Hong Kong, and from there worked on a merchant ship all the way to Liverpool in search for a new life elsewhere, anywhere. His Liverpool's Chinatown raised son - born from a white English woman who had to live through prejudiced family rejection as a result of her marrying a Chink - is performed by Kevin Wong.

The play is in English with French surtitles.

Les deux mondes has done it again. This story - partly true with some fiction - must have been quite the challenge to bring together. It's been six years of work since that day of June 2007 when they first met to discuss the project.

Check out the video here

More info and details on Gold Mountain: http://servicesmontreal-eblog.blogspot.ca/2013/04/gold-mountain.html


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Gold Mountain

Part of Les Deux Mondes’ 40th anniversary season!

Les Deux Mondes presents a co-production with Unity Theatre, Liverpool (with French surtitles)

Gold Mountain

Written by David Yip and Kevin Wong, Directed by Daniel Meilleur

Tuesday, April 16 – Saturday, April 27

Click to see a stirring video montage: Gold Mountain

See also the critic: Gold Mountain is all about injustice

“You must leave, go and bring honour to your family. Find your gold mountain, make your fortune. Then and only then can you return.”

Award-winning Montreal theatre company Les Deux Mondes is excited to present their internationally acclaimed show, Gold Mountain, for the first time in their home theatre, Aux Écuries, from April 16-27. Written by talented British playwright, actor and filmmaker David Yip, along with Kevin Wong, the play is performed by the original actors: David Yip as father figure, Yee Lui and Eugene Salleh, as his son, David Yee. This visually stunning multimedia presentation is the collaboration of the inspired Les Deux Mondes creative team: director/designer Daniel Meilleur, visual artist Yves Dubé and sound/multimedia designer Michel Robidoux.

Despite their difficult relationship, David Yee elicits from his father, Yee Lui, the story of his tragic life; having to flee a small village in China and its political upheaval with the hope of finding his ‘gold mountain’- a name given to North America’s west coast by Chinese immigrants looking for riches during the 19th century gold rush. Yee Lui finds himself in Liverpool married to an English woman and with a family, but without the trappings of the success he dreamed of. Loosely based on actor David Yip’s own father's life, Gold Mountain is an intimate tale of father and son, immigration and belonging, told with breathtaking theatrical magic. David tries to piece together the broken jigsaw of his father Yee's life - exploring his rambling stories in search of family truths. But every answer asks more questions- will David find the man he barely knew? In this epic journey, follow Yee’s story of personal exile against the backdrop of Communist China, war, gambling, addiction, adversity and friendship. Les Deux Mondes’ striking environment, including a transporting soundscape and brilliant images created by lighting, shadow play and film, is coupled with riveting performances. Follow Yee’s search for fortune and happiness, and David’s ultimate understanding, through the multimedia poetry of this celebrated, contemporary show.

For writer Yip, the play is a cocktail of stories shaken and stirred, “Some accounts are true, others made up, but the emotional roller coaster of the piece is very close to the mark.” It was also important for Yip to shed light on the often untold stories of his heritage, “With nearly 40 years as an actor, I have become more and more frustrated that so little writing comes from the British-Chinese community.” He continues, “All through my childhood, the veil of secrecy and suspicion hung heavy, the past was to be forgotten and only the future could be contemplated and talked about. It is up to artists like myself to help lift that veil and allow the younger generations to be able to ask, ‘why’?” Yip enjoyed talking to artists from the Chinese community in Vancouver when Gold Mountain played there in November, “Canada is fortunate to have a thriving community with great historic links to the ‘gold mountain’. I was inspired by our exchanges of ideas and thoughts.”

Though a memory-play, the story’s themes address today’s issues. Les Deux Mondes has had the opportunity to play in 35 countries during its forty years of existence. Daniel Meilleur, Gold Mountain director (and company co- Artistic Director with Michel Robidoux), discovered the issue of immigration all over the world, lived more or less harmoniously or confrontationally, “No wonder that a story that depicts a Chinese emigrant in Liverpool can move spectators in Sweden just as much as it touched us as Quebec artists. The concerns are universal.”

For the designers, the company’s Villeray neighbourhood is ever-present. This from Michel Robidoux- “Any play about the integration of newcomers into a society is automatically relevant for audiences everywhere. The story is also about hope and the willpower of continuity.” Yves Dubé adds, “Besides tackling the reality of immigrants, Gold Mountain speaks to the generation gap, racism, interracial marriages and forgiveness.”

The play is personal for Robidoux, “Being a huge Beatles fan and the son of a Montreal harbour longshoreman, I would have been drawn to any story taking place in Liverpool and around its harbour. My father worked for the Cunard Steamship Company operating between Liverpool and Montreal.” When Robidoux came back from Les Deux Mondes’ first tour in China, he started building virtual musical instruments from samples he had recorded and composed a number of musical themes, “Many compositions fit the Gold Mountain project and the rest were inspired by this crossbreeding of China and Liverpool, the cradle of The Beatles, whose music was some of the first I learned.”

With a solid reputation for artistic innovation and experimentation, this Les Deux Mondes production is no different. Here, text influences the multimedia universe and vice versa. Having seamlessly collaborated together on four previous productions, this first-class team is reunited for this gorgeous show: concept, lights and costumes, Daniel Meilleur; visual concept and video design, Yves Dubé; and sound design, Michel Robidoux; with credit for the overall concept shared by all three.

From playwright David Yip: About Gold Mountain (video clip)
Gold Mountain April 16-27 in English with French surtitles
Les Deux Mondes with Unity Theatre, Liverpool

At Théâtre Aux Écuries
7285, rue Chabot (near metro Fabre) in Montreal
Tuesday to Friday at 8:30 pm, Saturday at 4:30pm
Tickets: $12.50-$25.00
Box Office: 514 328-7437 (514 Écu-ries) no service charge or online www.auxecuries.com/billetterie

www.lesdeuxmondes.com/en/spec-index.html
www.unitytheatreliverpool.co.uk
About Les Deux Mondes: www.lesdeuxmondes.com/en/cie-index.html

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Hotel Soap Joke - Friday Afternoon Literature -

This is not a joke.
It's actual correspondence between a London hotel staff and one of its guests. The hotel submitted this to the Sunday Times. No name was mentioned.

This is perfect for a Friday afternoon.

WHAT TO DO WITH ALL THOSE ''FREE'' SOAPS WHEN TRAVELLING
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Dear Maid,

Please do not leave any more of those little bars of soap in my bathroom since I have brought my own bath-sized Dial. Please remove the six unopened little bars from the shelf under the medicine chest and another three in the shower soap dish. They are in my way. Thank you,

S. Berman

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Dear Room 635,

I am not your regular maid. She will be back tomorrow, Thursday, from her day off. I took the 3 hotel soaps out of the shower soap dish as you requested. The 6 bars on your shelf I took out of your way and put on top of your Kleenex dispenser in case you should change your mind. This leaves only the 3 bars I left today which my instructions from the management is to leave 3 soaps daily. I hope this is satisfactory.

Kathy, Relief Maid

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Dear Maid -- I hope you are my regular maid.

Apparently Kathy did not tell you about my note to her concerning the little bars of soap. When I got back to my room this evening I found you had added 3 little Camays to the shelf under my medicine cabinet. I am going to be here in the hotel for two weeks and have brought my own bath-size Dial so I won't need those 6 little Camays which are on the shelf. They are in my way when shaving, brushing teeth, etc. Please remove them.

S. Berman

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Dear Mr. Berman,

My day off was last Wed. so the relief maid left 3 hotel soaps which we are instructed by the management. I took the 6 soaps which were in your way on the shelf and put them in the soap dish where your Dial was. I put the Dial in the medicine cabinet for your convenience. I didn't remove the 3 complimentary soaps which are always placed inside the medicine cabinet for all new check-ins and which you did not object to when you checked in last Monday. Please let me know if I can of further assistance.

Your regular maid,
Dotty

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Dear Mr. Berman,
The assistant manager, Mr. Kensedder, informed me this A.M. that you called him last evening and said you were unhappy with your maid service. I have assigned a new girl to your room. I hope you will accept my apologies for any past inconvenience. If you have any future complaints please contact me so I can give it my personal attention. Call extension 1108 between 8AM and 5PM. Thank you.

Elaine Carmen
Housekeeper

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Dear Miss Carmen,

It is impossible to contact you by phone since I leave the hotel for business at 745 AM and don't get back before 530 OR 6PM. That's the reason I called Mr. Kensedder last night. You were already off duty. I only asked Mr. Kensedder if he could do anything about those little bars of soap. The new maid you assigned me must have thought I was a new check-in today, since she left another 3 bars of hotel soap in my medicine cabinet along with her regular delivery of 3 bars on the bath-room shelf. In just 5 days here I have accumulated 24 little bars of soap. Why are you doing this to me?

S. Berman

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Dear Mr. Berman,

Your maid, Kathy, has been instructed to stop delivering soap to your room and remove the extra soaps. If I can be of further assistance, please call extension 1108 between 8AM and 5PM. Thank you,

Elaine Carmen,
Housekeeper

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Dear Mr. Kensedder,

My bath-size Dial is missing. Every bar of soap was taken from my room including my own bath-size Dial. I came in late last night and had to call the bellhop to bring me 4 little Cashmere Bouquets.

S. Berman

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Dear Mr. Berman,

I have informed our housekeeper, Elaine Carmen, of your soap problem. I cannot understand why there was no soap in your room, since our maids are instructed to leave 3 bars of soap each time they service a room. The situation will be rectified immediately. Please accept my apologies for the inconvenience.

Martin L. Kensedder
Assistant Manager

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Dear Mrs. Carmen,

Who the heck left 54 little bars of Camay in my room? I came in last night and found 54 little bars of soap. I don't want 54 little bars of Camay. I want my one bar of bath-size Dial. Do you realize I have 54 bars of soap in here. All I want is my bath size Dial. Please give me back my bath-size Dial.

S. Berman

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Dear Mr. Berman,

You complained of too much soap in your room so I had them removed. Then you complained to Mr. Kensedder that all your soap was missing so I personally returned them. The 24 Camays which had been taken and the 3 Camays you are supposed to receive daily (sic). I don't know anything about the 4 Cashmere Bouquets. Obviously your maid, Kathy, did not know I had returned your soaps so she also brought 24 Camays plus the 3 daily Camays. I don't know where you got the idea this hotel issues bath-size Dial. I was able to locate some bath-size Ivory which I left in your room.

Elaine Carmen
Housekeeper

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Dear Mrs. Carmen,

Just a short note to bring you up-to-date on my latest soap inventory.

As of today I possess:

• On shelf under medicine cabinet - 18 Camay in 4 stacks of 4 and 1 stack of 2.
• On Kleenex dispenser - 11 Camay in 2 stacks of 4 and 1 stack of 3.
• On bedroom dresser - 1 stack of 3 Cashmere Bouquet, 1stack of 4 hotel-size Ivory, and 8 Camay in 2 stacks of 4.
• Inside medicine cabinet - 14 Camay in 3 stacks of 4 and 1 stack of 2.
• In shower soap dish - 6 Camay, very moist.
• On northeast corner of tub - 1 Cashmere Bouquet, slightly used.
• On northwest corner of tub - 6 Camays in 2 stacks of 3.

Please ask Kathy when she services my room to make sure the stacks are neatly piled and dusted. Also, please advise her that stacks of more than 4 have a tendency to tip. May I suggest that my bedroom window sill is not in use and will make an excellent spot for future soap deliveries. One more item, I have purchased another bar of bath-sized Dial which I am keeping in the hotel vault in order to avoid further misunderstandings.

S. Berman

Thinking of YU

Quebec English-language premiere!

IMAGO Theatre

Presents

Thinking of YU

Written by Carole Fréchette Translated by John Murrell

Directed by Micheline Chevrier

Mark these dates in your spring calendar

Wednesday, April 24 – Sunday, May 5, 2013

Thinking of YU is a play about one woman’s fixation with Yu Dongyue, a young Chinese journalist who was imprisoned for 17 years for having thrown paint on a poster of Mao during the Tiananmen Square student protests. Her obsessive research is interrupted by a lonely single father who mistakenly received her mail and a young Chinese woman who desperately wants to perfect her English grammar. Their unexpected companionship prompts each of them to question the consequences of fighting against injustice. Each comes to grips with their relationship to the world as they wrestle with notions of bravery, change and hope.

With Shiong-En Chan, Danielle Desormeaux and Kwasi Songui

Thinking of YU

Imago Theatre

At Centaur Theatre

453 St. François-Xavier April 24-May 5

Wednesday to Saturday at 8:30 pm, Saturday and Sunday matinee at 2:30pm

Tickets: $20-$25

All tickets for the preview, Wed. April 24, are $18

Saturday matinee, April 27 and May 4 at 2:30pm, are pay-what-you-can (Suggested donation $10)

Tickets: 514 288-3162 or online: http://www.centaurtheatre.com/tickets.php

www.imagotheatre.ca

Micheline Chevrier succède à Clare Schapiro

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