In our home the rooms belong to everyone, all rooms but the bedrooms. The bedroom is your personal space and no one is allowed in without permission. The latest play from Bouge de là at Young People’s Theatre Bedtime (May 6-14) illustrates the importance of this personal space for kids and how they claim it during the different stages of childhood.
The play reminds me of those wordless picture books. There is little dialogue and most of the story is told through movement. I’m not a big fan of wordless books, having only reviewed a small number within the kid book section. I know they have a place in literature but I like words when it comes to sharing a story. That being said, Bedtime did a wonderful job communicating the lifecycle of a child’s room with very little words.
Judging by the reaction of the school kids in the audience, I believe I’m not alone in this.
Photo: L-R: Nathan Yaffe and Guilaume Chuinard in a scene from Bedtime! Set Design by Véronique Bertrand, Lighting Design by Caroline Ross, Costume Design by Sharon Scott, Make Up by Suzanne Trépanier; Photo: Suzane O’Neill © 2014
We’re taken from the womb, a child’s first bedroom you might say, into the nursery. As the children get older, from preschooler to school age to teen, the room changes with a bigger bed to different toys. The bedroom is also a place of self-discovery and development, a safe zone. Babies discover their toys and fingers learn to crawl and walk, and play in their space. Preschoolers blow off steam when sent to their room. School age kids join a world of imagination, fighting battles against a league of robot soldiers. Teens escape into hanging out with air guitars.
The dance team did an amazing job expressing the emotion and feelings of each stage using very little dialog and a simple set. Bedtime is a great experience for kids living the experience and parents witnessing each stage. The show plays for a limited run so visit Young People’s Theatre to find out ticket availability.
Photo: L-R: Julie Tymchuk, Myriam Tremblay, Nathan Yaffe, Guillaume Chouinard and Emlily Homegger in a scene from Bedtime! Set Design by Véronique Bertrand, Lighting Design by Caroline Ross, Costume Design by Sharon Scott, Make Up by Suzanne Trépanier; Photo: Suzane O’Neill © 2014