le 20 novembre: Christian Lapointe electrifies!

Christian Lapointe as Sebastian.  Photo: NAC

Lars Norén’s play, "20. November," is a monodrama based on the true story of a young man who injured five teachers and fellow students at the Geschwister-Scholl School in Emsdetten and took his own life immediately after. In the process of writing, Norén used parts of the young man’s diary, which was published on the Internet. His protagonist is an angry, confused, tormented misfit who only seeks to be included and accepted for what he is. He tells us the most disturbing truth, the one that we don’t want to know and don’t want to see. Is a young man who counts the minutes of the last hours of his life the only one to blame for his actions? To what extent is society, as it is today, a creator of events like this one?

The stage is in a small space in front of rows of seats packed with the audience and, as the lights never go out, it is obvious that Christian Lapointe is not the only one under the spotlight. Lapointe, who plays this very complex and difficult character, interacts with the spectators, making them part of the show. His superb ability to transform his character gradually from a desperate man trying to find a place for himself in society to a individual sinking into despair and anger is essential for this kind of performance.

He tells the story to about the boy’s life, full of bullying, humiliations and rejection. Than, he tries to talk to people in the room. He goes from one viewer to another and asks them simple questions: Where are you from; what car do you have? Of course, nobody answers. Everybody just watches in anticipation. This fits the aim of the play perfectly. There is no communication. People withdraw in their shell, keeping to the safe rules of a society increasingly growing alienated. From that point, Christian Lapointe slowly builds the tension. His character gets angrier by the minute; he throws at us his complexes, caustic frustration and painful realization that nothing in life makes sense. Completely powerless, unable to fight his own demons, let alone the outside world that abandoned him and made him feel like a looser, he loses one battle after another.

Lapointe electrifies the atmosphere through a perfect combination of his gloomy facial expression and words full of anger and bitterness. He acts with every movement of his body, with every part of his face. His anxiety is so obvious; his twisted mind and tormented soul are mirrored in his eyes. Finely, in his growing despair, he resembles a frightened animal, beyond reason and capable only of distraction.

20. November is an outstanding artistic experience. The adaptation by Brigitte Haentjens, Christian Lapointe, Mélanie Dumont and exceptional acting by Christian Lapointe deserved every second of the standing ovation they received.

Le 20 novembre (November 20),

by Lars Norén

Translation into French: Katrin Ahlgren

Adapted by Brigitte Haentjens, Christian Lapointe, Mélanie Dumont

with Christian Lapointe.

Scenography by Anick La Bissonnière

A production fo Sibyllines, théâtre de création