LSM Newswire: BENT By Martin Sherman

Directed by Carolyn Fe
Thursday, November 5 - Sunday, November 15, 2009

Max: "We'll miss the Olympics next month in Berlin."
Horst: "I knew there was a reason I didn't want to be here in Dachau."

Montreal, October 2009 - BENT is a story of acceptance, tolerance and love in the wrong place and time. Altera Vitae is honoured to present their fourth production, playing at Espace 4001 (formerly Geordie Space) from November 5 to 15. Directed by Carolyn Fe, the talented cast includes Vance De Waele, Yves Jacquier, Adam Leblanc, Christopher Moore, Serge Turcotte and Mark Waters in this poignant piece. Altera Vitae produces quality works of theatre that engage and service the community. One of the company's raisons d'��tres is helping those who need to be heard. With each new production, they partner with a valuable organization whose mandate is similar to themes in the play. For Bent, Altera Vitae supports GRIS-Montreal. Says Carolyn Fe, Altera Vitae's artistic director, "I am proud to have found GRIS-Montreal for this production. Their important work takes them into the schools and demystifies homosexuality to local youth by educating students with a non-lecturing, judgment-free approach." This year marks GRIS-Montreal's 15th year servicing the community.

Bent highlights Paragraph 175, a largely ignored German law making homosexuality a criminal offense, which Hitler reactivated and reinforced during his rise to power. Gays were arrested and interned at work camps prior to the genocide of the Jews, Gypsies and handicapped, and continued to be imprisoned even after the fall of the Third Reich and liberation of the camps. To director Carolyn Fe, herself a visible minority, it is important to show the 'minorities' that were sharing the horrors of the concentration camps. Each coloured patch- pink, red, green, black, brown, purple, blue and of course, yellow, had a meaning and a 'pride line'. The pink triangle was the lowest. Fe hopes the play reminds people how to find strength and dignity at their lowest moments, "For me, this play goes beyond the pink triangle; it goes all the way to accepting and believing in oneself regardless of how difficult the environment or the times may be." The company is so pleased at the number of school groups who will be seeing the production.

Christopher Moore plays Max, a character both filled with hope and in denial. For Moore, the play is summed up beautifully and painfully in the last lines when Max says to Horst, "I love you. What's wrong with that?" He says the role has brought to his attention what it takes to survive certain atrocities that many people outside (and some inside) North America face every day, "I hope the audience is able to appreciate the idea of this union of love in a time when it was illegal and especially in the camp, unthought-of and not dared." He would like people to go home answering, "There is nothing wrong with that". For Vance De Waele, in the role of Horst, additionally, "The themes in the play go beyond sexual orientation or identity." Bent also contains an unforgettable love scene.

The integral designs are by creative team Scott Drysdale, lights and Dan Legault, sound. The stage manager is Anne-Marie Pierre. The play's theme song is David Bowie's Heroes: "Though nothing will drive them away; We can beat them, just for one day; We can be Heroes, just for one day."

Taken from the Latin expression, Spes Altera Vitae, meaning 'another hope of life', Altera Vitae Productions proposes a peek at another life through theatrical presentations. This, if only for a brief moment in time, whether it be as a member of the audience, on stage or behind the scenes. In keeping with Altera Vitae providing a peak at 'another life', Bent is an excellent example. In its short time on the local theatre landscape, Altera Vitae has managed to capture the attention of the public and the media, garnering an Honorable Mention for the Revelation Award at the 2008 Montreal English Critics' Circle Award (MECCA) ceremony.

"I worked a deal. I'm good at that."- Max

BENT
Altera Vitae Productions
Playing at Espace 4001
4001 Berri (near Duluth)

Tuesday to Sunday, 8:00 pm
Matinees: Saturday and Sunday, 2:00 pm
20$ regular, 18$ students/seniors�ĮTwo-for-one: Sat. Nov. 7 and Sun. Nov. 8 at 2pm, to help spread word of mouth