I had no idea what to expect from “Le NoShow Vancouver” right up to the moment it started. I sat in the audience wondering “Is it a comedy? Is it improvised?”, then thought it couldn’t be improvised because there were subtitles. So what was it?
The plot is kept a secret on purpose. The listing online noted only that “Le NoShow” is “a playful and interactive experience where two ideas – the cost of theatre and its value as art – clash with predatory humour.”
Before getting into the details I can reveal, I’ll say this: “Le NoShow” was funny, engaging, intelligent, and very, very long. While I enjoyed the concept, both the action of the show and the method by which people get their tickets need to be streamlined. Entry is by anonymous donation, but a registration table, multiple lines, voting booths, and a ticket that needed to be explained made the process confusing. I still recommend going to this almost-three-hour-long show, but know that there are no bathroom breaks!
“Le NoShow Vancouver” is a local adaptation of an international success, originally from Québec, by Théâtre la Seizième. The audience was packed with local Francophones eager to consume entertainment in their own language, and Anglophones trying not to lose the French they worked hard to learn. Myself and another Anglo I spoke to were both grateful for the subtitles projected on-screen behind the actors, but worried that we’d miss too much of the action if we spent the whole show staring at the screen. On the one hand, something is always lost when looking back and forth from the actors to the subtitles, you miss little bits of information from each. On the other, it greatly increases accessibility, allowing more people to enjoy the show.
“Le NoShow” explores the cost of theatre and its value as art in multiple ways. The actors reveal what they love about their jobs, perks like having a fulfilling career and champagne on opening night. They ask valid questions like “What does it take to make ‘it’ happen? And what is ‘it’ anyway?” If they don’t make it, is it because they are cowards? They try to sell themselves to the audience through any means necessary, using their babies and dead grandmothers as leverage.
Questions surrounding family responsibility, passion, sacrifice, social inequality and public perception come up again and again for our actors. If an actor “sells-out” are they betraying themselves, or doing what’s necessary to stay afloat in a competitive industry? Which industries are vital to society and deserve to be subsidized? One actor shares one of his big-breaks–playing a cell phone in a TV commercial. He rehearsed for ten minutes and received a substantial sum. He’s put in 200 hours to prepare for “Le NoShow” and is receiving a tenth as much in compensation. Another actor describes his dream of putting on the production of “La Bohème” while an actress tracks the costs involved–costumes, sets, labour, royalties, etc. The dreamscape is animated with the sound of chimes, instruments and splashing water so the audience can picture it just as he does. When he asks the woman tracking expenses “How much?”, she replies “If I tell you, you’re gonna have a shitty day.”
“Le NoShow” production was minimalistic, relying on the action, storytelling and interactivity rather than costly sets and costume changes to make their point. The “table” used was a stage riser on loan from the theatre. This table stretched horizontally across the stage with chairs on the far side, where the actors sat facing the audience. They began as if part of a panel, with mics and water and binders in front of each person. The huge table remained in place throughout the production as actors moved around, in front, and on top of it.
The sound effects were minimalistic as well, although dramatic. Four plain white lights formed a rectangle above the stage, also giving the impression of a panel discussion. Spotlights highlighted actors as they told stories, and when audience participation was required the house lights came on to break the fourth wall. The audience participates throughout the show, sharing their jobs, opinions, and more. Although occupations from actors to investment managers are represented, all agree that “theatre is life”.
The show ends abruptly with an interactive and joyous surprise ending. While I can’t tell you any more about “Le NoShow Vancouver”, I’ll leave you with one of my favourite quotes from the evening: “To be or not to be? Whatever we need money!”
– Kristen Lawson