Rendezvous with Home - i say cric, you say crac
The “one-hander” is a standard of any theatre festival where the budget is slim and the shows are many. Any show that relies entirely on the skill of one performer requires an actor that is at once endearing, fascinating and impressive.
In Rendezvous with Home, presented by Cric Crac Collective & Sofina Productions, the central personality is performer Djennie Laguerre. She offers all that you hope for in a one-person show: a mixture of classic storytelling styles; some (very light) audience interaction; a display of special skills (including different dance styles and fluency in at least three languages); and a personality that you cannot help but root for.
The performance begins with Laguerre entering through the audience, telling us a few quick Creole phrases and how to respond to certain things (for example, if she says “Cric” we say “Crac”). Laguerre coached us through the first round and then we were on our own, with the entire audience enthusiastically responding to every “Cric” with our own “Crac”. Throughout the piece Laguerre speaks in English, Creole and Quebecois and seems to treat the entire performance as a cultural lesson for both herself and the audience.
The story is a straightforward description of her journey to Haiti to attend her father’s funeral. The flair comes from Laguerre’s presentation of the many people encountered on this trip. Prior to take off we meet her mother and sister and once we arrive in Haiti the colourful characters keep coming, including her Aunt, a limping skeletal funeral director, her b-boy cousins and her astoundingly attractive cousin Max.
Most of the conflict in the piece stems from how she should feel about her experiences in Haiti and the passing of her father. For example, while the father was abusive and absent, the need to honour and remember him remains. As things progress, the main character and her sister discover that there was much more to their father than they knew. They also learn a great deal about Haiti and even a little about voodoo.
Laguerre and director Roma Spencer use music and movement to build energy and create a strong sense of time and place. When Laguerre first takes the stage, she dances with vigour and delight. Dancing is then used as an effective way to change pace throughout. Most of the music is recorded but there is a live percussionist adding the occasional drumbeat. Recorded dialogue is used to fill the space with sounds of bustling airports, streets and parties.
The staging is simple yet effective. Laguerre uses a single prop, a trunk/suitcase, to play the role of everything from a jeep to a coffin. Everything else is achieved through the performer’s movement and voice.
There are a few moments that seem unpolished: the only change in costume is a coat pulled out of the trunk and worn at the end without any clear reason; there are a few moments where the live drumming drowns out the text; and a couple of places where Laguerre seems to be still figuring out the best way to play a word or beat. There are also a few moments that felt a tad indulgent although they are enjoyable enough. These are really minor quibbles. The rest of the piece is well-sculpted, clear, fascinating, fun and wonderfully performed.
Rendezvous With Home by Djennie Laguerre;Directed by Rhoma Spencer; Presented by Cric Crac Collective & Sofina Productions; Featuring Djennie Laguerre. Part of the 2008 SummerWorks Festival. For show times and more information go here.