Whether it be the late Michael Jackson or pop princess Britney Spears, we all behave like total fans at some point in our lives.
Stéfan Cédilot’s band of choice is U2, and he’s probably a lot more hardcore than your average fan. So much so, that he’s dedicated an entire show to his favourite band, and is presenting it at MainLine Theatre.
“All I Want is U2 is the story of Irish rock band U2, but with a twist,” said Cédilot. “It’s also my story as a U2 fan, so the history is not chronological.”
Viewers get a taste of all that is U2, and follow the evolution of their number one fan, Cédilot, who was 13 when he stumbled across the band’s music.
Even music enthusiasts whose iPods have none of U2’s albums will be able to relate to the show.
“I think the fact that the story is told from the point of view of the music fan makes it universal enough for anybody who likes rock and pop music to relate to it,” said Cédilot. “Anyone who’s ever had a favourite band can identify with it because we’re talking about the emotional reaction to the music, which is the same whether you like pop or heavy metal.”
So long as you don’t outright dislike Bono and the gang, this musical is bound to please. (But, I mean, how could you dislike Bono? Just try listening to him talk about humanitarian causes at least once in that sexy Irish accent of his…)
Putting aside my small schoolgirl crush, this emotional reaction to music that Cédilot
mentions is universal. Whether it be a particular artist or the lyrics to a song, music speaks to people; some would say it’s a religious belief.
The one-man show began as part of Cédilot’s theatre thesis at the École supérieure de théâtre de l’UQÀM.
“I wanted to work on theatricality in the rock concert and on how a rock band’s concerts evolve conceptually from small clubs to arenas and stadium tours,” said the 37-year-old writer, performer and director. “The show that came out of my research, in 2009, was a real university production in that the content was very academic. I was basically going through the U2 story chronologically, concert by concert.”
Cédilot wasn’t quite ready to introduce Montrealers to the world of U2 through his performance piece; before the show, he also researched the emergence of the band and its effect on kids in the ‘80s and early ‘90s, as well as why 25 years later, fans like him still buy their albums and go to their concerts.
All I Want Is U2 is truly a multimedia show, mixing storytelling, archival footage, theatrical performances, and of course, replicating a little bit of U2’s magic.
Stéfan Cédilot’s band of choice is U2, and he’s probably a lot more hardcore than your average fan. So much so, that he’s dedicated an entire show to his favourite band, and is presenting it at MainLine Theatre.
“All I Want is U2 is the story of Irish rock band U2, but with a twist,” said Cédilot. “It’s also my story as a U2 fan, so the history is not chronological.”
Viewers get a taste of all that is U2, and follow the evolution of their number one fan, Cédilot, who was 13 when he stumbled across the band’s music.
Even music enthusiasts whose iPods have none of U2’s albums will be able to relate to the show.
“I think the fact that the story is told from the point of view of the music fan makes it universal enough for anybody who likes rock and pop music to relate to it,” said Cédilot. “Anyone who’s ever had a favourite band can identify with it because we’re talking about the emotional reaction to the music, which is the same whether you like pop or heavy metal.”
So long as you don’t outright dislike Bono and the gang, this musical is bound to please. (But, I mean, how could you dislike Bono? Just try listening to him talk about humanitarian causes at least once in that sexy Irish accent of his…)
Putting aside my small schoolgirl crush, this emotional reaction to music that Cédilot
mentions is universal. Whether it be a particular artist or the lyrics to a song, music speaks to people; some would say it’s a religious belief.
The one-man show began as part of Cédilot’s theatre thesis at the École supérieure de théâtre de l’UQÀM.
“I wanted to work on theatricality in the rock concert and on how a rock band’s concerts evolve conceptually from small clubs to arenas and stadium tours,” said the 37-year-old writer, performer and director. “The show that came out of my research, in 2009, was a real university production in that the content was very academic. I was basically going through the U2 story chronologically, concert by concert.”
Cédilot wasn’t quite ready to introduce Montrealers to the world of U2 through his performance piece; before the show, he also researched the emergence of the band and its effect on kids in the ‘80s and early ‘90s, as well as why 25 years later, fans like him still buy their albums and go to their concerts.
All I Want Is U2 is truly a multimedia show, mixing storytelling, archival footage, theatrical performances, and of course, replicating a little bit of U2’s magic.
All I Want Is U2 runs from Sept. 28 to Oct. 1 at MainLine Theatre, 3997 Saint-Laurent Blvd. For more info and tickets check out www.mainlinetheatre.ca.
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