More than 30 years after winning over Quebec audiences on the big screen, La Florida is back – this time making a splash on stage at Théâtre du Vieux-Terrebonne from July 1 to Aug. 7.
“If you have watched the movie earlier, the nostalgic part of it […] you’re gonna like it. If you don’t know the movie, the story is great. It’s really funny,” explained Anne-Élisabeth Bossé, who plays Ginette in La Florida. “If you can’t afford vacation this summer, come see us. It’s like a little trip.”
In collaboration with Just for Laughs, the French production promises a cocktail of humour, emotions, and sunshine.
Like the 1993 award-winning cult classic, the play follows a Quebec family who purchases a motel in south Florida to escape harsh winters. But the snowbirds face local competitors – and never-ending renovations of Motel Ginette.
Léo Lespérance, his wonderful wife Ginette, their children, and Grandpa hit the road for Hollywood Beach, convinced they’ve found paradise, until their dream sinks to the bottom of the pool. Demanding guests, intimidating neighbours, and never-ending renovations: welcome to the Motel Ginette, where the American dream takes a good dose of salt water… and reality. In a delightfully kitschy tropical setting, the iconic lines everyone knows by heart are back, served up in a comedy that’s as hilarious as it is touching, as luminous as it is cruel.
“I think it’s a lot of fun. […] It’s about family dynamics, so anyone can recognize, I guess, their own families or part of their families in that,” said Lauren Hartley, who plays Carmen. “We have fun together and hopefully that’s contagious. […] It’s like, it’s the sunshine on stage, so just come and see us and laugh with us and accept that this chaos will ultimately lead to something a bit more enthusiastic and joyful.”
After their run at Théâtre du Vieux-Terrebonne, the comedy embarks on a tour across Quebec.
“I’m super excited and I’m feeling ready. We have to meet the last character of the show, the public, we need it to evolve, to make this story complete. So I think it’s now and I’m feeling, yeah, I’m ready,” added Bossé.
