MONTRÉAL COMPLÈTEMENT CiRQUE invades the city and delights Montrealers once again! This 3rd edition of MONTRÉAL COMPLÈTEMENT CiRQUE promises a program featuring 15 companies spanning 2 continents, 140 high-calibre artists and festive outdoor activities scattered all throughout Montréal - simply a dazzling event. In addition to being an unanticipated occasion to see some of the best circus performances in the world, the festival evokes the brilliant diversity of the circus arts through theatre, dance and music productions alike. There’s something in it for all fans of the performing arts! MONTRÉAL COMPLÈTEMENT CiRQUE also proves to be an essential meeting place for the international circus community. Artists congregate at the festival to discover new circus trends, exchange ideas, talk about prospective projects, and of course, to admire the extraordinary talent reigning over the city for 10 splendid days. The festival will take place from July 5 to 15 in the heart of our vibrant Montréal. 

Les 7 Doigts de la Main to open the festival

Critically acclaimed in New York, Paris, and even Chicago, Montréal company, Les 7 Doigts de la Main, will launch this year’s festival with the world première of Séquence 8! This new production, created in celebration of the company’s 10th anniversary, is sure to be unique, full of finesse and rich in emotions. 

Music-hall evening at L’Olympia
What’s more festive than an evening spent amongst friends at a music hall? La Soirée, made up of international music-hall artists, presents a deliciously decadent show that goes beyond festive to jubilant! In 2007, the same company, under the name of La Clique, received standing ovations for their performances. So, make way for some of the sexiest numbers, music that will blow you away, and spectacular and humorous circus, burlesque and music-hall performances. 

Honouring Scandinavian countries

For this 3rd edition, MONTRÉAL COMPLÈTEMENT CiRQUE hosts no less than 4 Scandinavian companies, showcasing creations that are both original and surprising. The festival welcomes leading Swedish company Cirkus Cirkör and its prodigy production, Undermän. Three artists, all musicians, offer a true-to-life performance combining finesse, physical strength and evocative power, set to a previously unreleased score. Then, the most prominent Finnish company, Circo Aereo, presents Ro-Pu, an exceptional homage to roping. Race Horse Company will also present its young and dazzling show, entitled Petit Mal. Set in the organized chaos of an end-of-the-world hangar, and to Bob Dylan and DJ Shadow music, three acrobats are prepared to do whatever it takes to be able to fly. They size each other up, challenge each other, have fun, and of course, hurt themselves. Finally, Finland also sends us WHS, with its Montréal première of Odotustila. Grippingly fun, this production is visually stunning, due to the ingenious use of video and extraordinary jugglery of artist and screen. 
A bouquet of Québecois companies
MONTRÉAL COMPLÈTEMENT CiRQUE also certainly makes room for Québecois companies! To begin with, LEO, a production directed by Daniel Brière (Les Parents, Nouveau Théâtre Expérimental) and produced by Berlin company, Circle of Eleven, will be highlighted. Created at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August of 2011 - where it snatched up three awards - this show features theatre as much as the circus arts, and incredible visual preception-defying video projections. 

Vague de cirque will also once again enthrall Montrealers. After winning over the public last fall, with Cabotinage at La TOHU, the Magdalen Islands company will again install its circus tent to present Carrousel et corde à linge, a previously unreleased funny and gripping music-hall production, inspired by the lives of fairground people. 

We will also have the opportunity to laugh twice as hard at an evening combining performances by both the incredible Chocolat the clown, who will present his one-man show, entitled Maestro, and the very talented Philippe Trépanier, creator of Impro Cirque, who will present Clip !, a production that was a great success at Montréal’s Les Coups de Théâtre festival in 2010. Incidentally, Impro Cirque will also be part of some very enjoyable evenings at the festival this year. Finally, Cirque du Soleil is also part of the program, presenting Amaluna, a splendid ode to female power, involving a Sun Goddess. 

MONTRÉAL COMPLÈTEMENT CiRQUE brings us two French companies: Chute Libre, inviting us into La Cuisine de Pan, in which the host has set the table for an electrifying circus-style feast, with strong urban dancing influences; and Triple Croches, presenting - as the saying goes - Jamais 2 sans 3, a brilliant production evoking the golden days of silent films. The show serves up substantial glassfuls of music, embellished with irresistible antics! 

MONTRÉAL COMPLÈTEMENT CiRQUE joyfully takes hold of the city! Performances will take place at various venues, including La TOHU (under the tent), Théâtre Outremont, L’Olympia, Monument-National, Usine C, Espace Libre, Lion d’Or, Studio B in Verdun, Dalhousie Station and at the Olympic Park. 

The Quartier des Spectacles will be joyously invaded over and over again with the famous Minutes Complètement Cirque spontaneous moments that will henceforth be associated with the festival. Given that these events take place in the Quartier latin, Place Émilie-Gamelin will host the festival for the 2nd consecutive year, with its presentation of Jeu de cirque, created especially for the site, by Anthony Venisse. The festival will also delight audiences in the Saint-Michel, Verdun, Hochelaga-Maisonneuve (Olympic Park), Saint-Léonard and Villeray neighbourhoods. The outdoor entertainment program will be unveiled soon, so stay tuned!

A quintessential unifying event, MONTRÉAL COMPLÈTEMENT CiRQUE transcends language, age and racial barriers; invading the city with no less than 15 productions, in addition to outdoor and neighbourhood events. Impossible to resist! Feed your circus spirit from July 5 to 15, 2012!