Renaud Paradis (top) with René Simard (courtesy: Juste Pour Rire)
Gimme that ol' Razzle-Dazzle
No rain on this parade
by Valerie Cardinal
Since I’m a huge fan of the original 1952 movie Singin’ in the Rain, I was intrigued to hear about Chantons sous la pluie, the French adaption making its debut at this year’s Just For Laughs Festival. Directed by Denise Filiatrault, translated and adapted by Yves Morin and starring René Simard, this show has some Francophone star power attached to it. Still, I wasn’t sure if Singin’ in the Rain could work in French. Boy, was I wrong!
The show is set in glamorous Hollywood, during the awkward transition from silent films to talkies, and the beautiful costumes and wonderful sets do a great job of transporting the audience to that glamorous era. Renaud Paradis plays Don Lockwood, the leading man of the silent era, and Pascale Desrochers plays Lina, the leading lady who has some trouble adapting to talking films. Paradis is wonderful as Don, bringing charm and powerful dancing to the role without resorting to imitating Gene Kelly.
