(photo by Victor Pilon)
Fusionism
by Chad Dembski
Norman is a Montreal original creation that has a had a healthy seven year history since its creation in 2007. Originally premiered at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa it has toured all over the world including France, Korea, Spain, the U.K., and the U.S. While multi-disciplinary work is not new to Montreal or Quebec it rarely can fuse together its various elements seamlessly. The collaborations often have unique results but come off more as experiments than a fully realized show. This is not the case with Norman where the fusion of text, choreography (by Peter Trosztmer and Thea Patterson), projection film (4d, Michel Lemieux and Victor Pilon) and hologram (yes, that’s right hologram!) come together in a stunning piece that still seems fresh in 2014. Norman is a tribute to the National Film Board (NFB) films of Norman McLaren and his experimental films of animation and live action. I went in knowing next to nothing about Norman McLaren and left with a deep appreciation of his dedication to experimental film and early animation. His presence is still felt in what is remaining of NFB (screw you Conservative government) and the strong animation still being made in this country.
