Theatre la Seizieme Presents CUISINE & CONFESSIONS

Théâtre la Seizième is pleased to welcome back internationally renowned, Montreal-based theatre company The 7 Fingers (Les 7 Doigts) for six performances of Cuisine & Confessions in 2017 from January 25 to 29 at the Vancouver Playhouse.

Cuisine & Confessions showcases their trademark acrobatic and choreographic prowess - but this time, adds sound, smell, touch, and taste (!) to their always-innovative aesthetic mix. Cuisine & Confessions becomes a theatrical feast - literally! A virtuosic mélange of circus, avant-garde dance, personal narrative, theatre, and cooking show comedy, Cuisine & Confessions explores stories from our family kitchens - food prepared, memories made - and rituals that underpin our most important relationships.

Here are 10 things you should know about Cuisine & Confessions:

1) The stories are true!

Cuisine & Confessions was built on the real-life personal stories of each cast member. Creation began with extensive story-telling sessions, and directors Shana Carroll and Sébastien Soldevila extracted facts, themes, and images and wove them throughout each act, all based on these real stories.

2) All music is original.

The entire soundtrack was created specifically for Cuisine & Confessions. Notable New York jazz club owner Spike Wilner collaborated with Soldevila who also serves as a musical director, in Montreal, for extensive recording sessions, providing a bank of music from which to choose.

3) The show has been performed in 7 languages.

Cuisine & Confessions has travelled the globe. Wherever it has been performed, it has been translated into the local language. To date, the show has been presented in English, Italian, Spanish, Russian, French, Swedish, and German. The Vancouver dates will be performed in English - sprinkled with some French and Spanish.

4) All food is prepared live on stage.

Food preparation begins on stage during the 30-minute pre-show and continues during the performance, at various times with assistance from audience members. From the moment the house opens through to the final bows, food is always cooking - from an omelet, to vegetable pasta, to the signature banana bread.

6) The set is inspired by the cast's home kitchens.

To create the set, scenic designer Ana Capellutto had each artist share photos of their childhood kitchens, their current kitchens, and their "dream kitchens", greatly inspiring the final design. She also asked each performer to bring a personal item to keep somewhere on the set to help create this intimate kitchen space. The set continues to tour with these personal items.

7) Refrigerator postcards are real.

The cast has collected postcards from every city they've toured and placed them on the set's refrigerator, making it an ever-evolving set piece.

8) They keep a "to do" list, too.

Observant theatregoers will see a "to-do list" written out on a chalkboard as part of the kitchen set (as if a grocery list). This is actually a list of numbers performed in the show, and cast members cross off items as they are completed during each performance.

9) A child's game inspired lyrics of final song.

The odd phrase "chop chop miam miam" came from a tickling game the directors had with their 5-year-old daughter. During the show's creation, the expression was used as a call and response kind of game, and became the show's accidental mantra. When the cast turned it into a song, at first it was a joke - until everyone decided it was the best way to close the show.

10) Cast members take turns washing the dishes.

Every family has its own way of sharing responsibilities, and the Cuisine & Confessions family is no different. Cooking creates a mess, and at the end of each performance, a different cast member cleans up the dishes in the working on-stage sink, adhering to a scheduled rotation.

Cuisine & Confessions is produced by The 7 Fingers

Presented by: Théâtre la Seizième with Tom Lightburn

Conceived and directed by: Shana Carroll & Sébastien Soldevila

Performed by: Sidney Iking Bateman, Melvin Diggs, Mishannock Ferrero, Anna Kachalova, Anna Kichtchenko, Nella Niva, Matias Plaul, & Pablo Pramparo

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