The Storytellers
Isabelle St-Pierre
Isabelle St-Pierre started out doing poetry slams and cabaret. Born in Montreal to an Egyptian mother and a Quebecer father, she is passionate about history and cooking, and her stories are politically committed. She speaks and writes her stories, going wherever her relationships and the four winds may take her. She happened upon storytelling rather by chance, during an open mic evening back in 2002. Little did she know that her newfound passion would alter her life... Since then, she spins her yarns throughout Québec and France. A budding producer, she also organizes shows and gatherings showcasing up-and-coming storytellers.
Wednesday, November 22 to Sunday, November 26, 10:00 - 10:30 pm
Sunday, November 26, 10:30 am - noon
Open-mic crowd animation
Denis Gadoury
A lover of stories, Denis is a traditional storyteller who can, through a simple phrase or mot juste, create a link to the modern world. His baggage is that of a bum, and this is reflected in his look. For over 20 years, he has crossed Canada and gathered stories along the way: Winnipeg, Manitoba; Yellowknife, Northwest Territories; Whitehorse, Yukon; and today, Montreal. During his travels, he has come across all types of characters, some funny, others touching, and has picked up some comical anecdotes to share.
Wednesday, November 22, 10:00 - 10:30 pm., with open mic
Comicmac
Quebec’s Grand Chief of Aboriginal comedy, Comicmac breaks the silence and tells, in his unique, humourous way, how it feels to be a native Indian in the big city. Born of a Mi’gmak father and a white mother, Comicmac describes a world where comedy is not yet out of the woods.
André Lemelin
Stories roll off his tongue one after another, in the manner of our storytellers of old: simply and generously. His stories are intertwined with anecdotes and snippets of traditional music (reels, jigs, waltzes...) played on the mouth harp. He is a co-founder of the Dimanches du conte at the Sergent Recruteur. Storyteller, producer, publisher and, above all, the sworn enemy of spinning one’s wheels, he sows his ideas like others sow trees, following the roots of free thinking and dreaming of his log cabin... In one form or another, he leaves an indelible legacy for generations of storytellers to come.
Thursday, November 23, 10 :00–10 :30 pm, with open mic
Robert Seven-Crows Bourdon
Robert Seven-Crows Bourdon is of Métis-Mi’gmak descent. For him, sharing tales and legends accompanied by traditional chanting and drumming is a way of bringing the richness and tradition of the great Wabanaki Nation to a greater audience. Meet Wuchosen; Lûnsûm, the wind eagle; Kagtukwag, the first dog; the Thunderbird; and discover the voyage of Kwé, Kwé and Mulgtess. The traditional Mi’gmak drumming and chanting distill the essence of the First Nations, and transport the audience to the magical world of animals, plants, rivers and mountains that inhabit daily life.
Paul Bradley
Spinner of tales, knowledgeable in the traditional ways, Paul Bradley lives very much in the here and now. From the devilish ring-maker to the polystyrene elf, by way of the werewolf, expect to experience one of those magical evenings where time seems to stand still. He has told stories throughout Quebec and France, under tents and in laneways. Winner of the Best Liar award at the Festival des Grandes Gueules in 2004, this verbal acrobat makes a point of seeing just how stretchable the truth really is.
Friday, November 24, 10:00-10:30 pm, with open mic
Eveline Ménard
Hers is a background of classical and traditional music. She takes great pleasure in telling tales of magic and marvel cast in our modern times. She delves into myths and travelogues looking for a message relevant to today and tomorrow. Through research and synthesis, she peels back the layers of wisdom and knowledge revealed by storytelling. She has toured Quebec, France and Ecuador with her stories for several years now.
Saturday, November 25, 10:00-10:30 pm, with open mic
Samuel Allo
Very much as a musical troubador would, Samuel Allo crisscrosses the country by foot to exchange stories... Those of Bretagne and his imagination peopled with korrigans, fairies and the Ankou, and other stories culled from his travels and from gatherings. The stories are well-travelled and children of all ages will find one that warms them. He has also told his stories in prison and in the street... He visits us to share his love of the Celtic tradition.
Sunday, November 26, 10:00 - 10:30 pm, with open mic
Luc Desnoyers
Luc Desnoyers is a storytelling stalwart whose career goes back to the very beginnings of the Dimanches du Conte. Today still, this restless soul can be found at all the gatherings, armed with his mics and machines, recording the precious, ephemeral words before they fly away forever, then broadcasting them on the airwaves of CIBL.
November 22–26, with soundcheck